Israel After new violence: Will the ceasefire in Gaza hold?
Following Israel's heaviest airstrikes since the start of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in response to shelling of its soldiers, the regional powers are trying to secure the fragile agreement.
20.10.2025, 05:41
SDA
Israel and the Islamist Hamas both issued statements declaring their commitment to the ceasefire - after accusing the other side of violations. The attacks were the first major crisis since the painstakingly negotiated agreement was reached.
Hamas announced that its negotiators had now arrived in Egypt for talks on the further implementation of the agreement. Meanwhile, US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to arrive in Israel today, with US Vice President JD Vance also due to arrive tomorrow, according to the media. However, when asked by reporters, Vance did not want to commit himself as to whether he would come. In addition to the USA, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey are also mediating in the conflict.
How did the new outbreak of violence come about?
According to the Israeli army, its troops were attacked on Sunday in the south of the Gaza Strip in an area controlled by the military, including with a bazooka. Two soldiers were killed and another was seriously injured. There were also further attempts to attack Israeli soldiers.
In response, Israel's air force reportedly bombed dozens of Hamas positions in various areas of the sealed-off coastal strip. According to several hospitals, a total of 44 Palestinians were killed. The Qassam Brigades - the military arm of Hamas - denied any responsibility for the attacks on Israeli soldiers.
What will happen to the aid deliveries to Gaza?
According to information from security circles, Israel's government has stopped the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip for the time being. After the ceasefire came into force on October 10, aid deliveries had been expanded as part of the agreement, with a target of 600 truck deliveries per day.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also announced on Sunday that the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt would remain closed to passenger traffic until further notice. The opening depends on whether Hamas fulfills its obligations under the agreement.
What about the remaining hostage bodies?
Netanyahu's government accuses Hamas of delaying the return of the bodies of hostages from Israel. The remains of 16 abductees are still in the Gaza Strip. The terrorist organization points out that it is difficult for them to find the bodies because they are buried under the rubble of bombed buildings and tunnels.
The Qassam Brigades announced that the body of another hostage had now been found. They warned that new attacks by Israel could jeopardize efforts to recover further remains.
What will become of the peace plan?
Exactly one week ago, Hamas handed over its last 20 living hostages - in return, Israel released almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees and withdrew its army from parts of the Gaza Strip. This means that at least these agreements on the first phase of the deal have been implemented.
However, the situation is still fragile - as Sunday's attacks show. It is not foreseeable whether the agreement will lead to a longer-term end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip. Three of the biggest points of contention remain the disarmament of Hamas, the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza and the future of the extensively destroyed coastal area.
The fact that Vice President Vance intends to visit Israel this week is a signal from the US government that it wants the agreement to be implemented as quickly and completely as possible, according to the US news website "Axios", which quoted Israeli officials. However, the visit has not yet been officially confirmed.
What power does Hamas still have?
Initial talks on the second phase of the agreement have already begun. However, Hamas rejects the disarmament demanded in the agreement. Since Israel's partial withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas has reportedly been taking action against rival militias. There have been battles and executions.
According to reports, Hamas, weakened by the Gaza war, is attempting to exploit the power vacuum in parts of the area and regain control there. However, the terrorist organization rejected the accusation made by the US State Department of an allegedly planned Hamas attack on Palestinian civilians. These were "baseless allegations" in line with Israeli propaganda.
A month ago, the Wall Street Journal quoted Israeli and Arab officials as saying that Hamas was estimated to still have tens of thousands of fighters in its ranks, although many of them were new recruits with little training. Hamas has only just vowed to continue the armed struggle against Israel, even though the Qassam Brigades announced on Sunday: "We reaffirm our full commitment to implement everything that has been agreed." This applies above all to the ceasefire in all areas of the Gaza Strip, they said.
What happens now?
In addition to trying to persuade Hamas to return more bodies, the White House is continuing to work on the formation of an international peacekeeping force (ISF), according to US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the war, which is to be stationed in parts of the Gaza Strip and enable a further withdrawal of the Israeli army.
Israel still controls a good 50 percent of the territory. According to the Axios report, the USA also wanted to begin the reconstruction process of the Gaza Strip, which is characterized by rubble landscapes and is not under Hamas control. This applies in particular to the city of Rafah in the south of the coastal area.
US negotiator Kushner told the US television station CBS that Israel must begin to help the Palestinians and improve their quality of life. "The most important message we're trying to get across to the Israeli leadership right now is that now that the war is over, if you want to integrate Israel into the Middle East, you have to find a way for the Palestinian people to prosper and be better off."
