Trump Says Gaza Ceasefire Still In Place As Israel Halts Short-Lived Airstrikes

The Trump-brokered ceasefire in Gaza is hanging by a thread, as local officials say that nearly 100 Palestinians have been killed and some 230 wounded overall since the ceasefire’s start on October 10.

Israel on Sunday launched dozens of new airstrikes in response to what it called Hamas’s “blatant violation” of the deal, but which the militant group denied. Gaza sources said at least 44 were killed as a result of those Sunday strikes.

Israel’s military (IDF) had said “terrorists fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire” toward its troops in Rafah, killing two soldiers - but this was met with a statement by Hamas saying it was “unaware” of any such fighting. 

But the Palestinian side is charging Israel of violations while warning that these strikes could “push the situation toward a total collapse”.

But by Sunday night the IDF said it “had begun renewed enforcement of the ceasefire” but followed by asserting it would “respond firmly to any violation of it.”

“The military later said it resumed enforcing the ceasefire, and the official confirmed that aid deliveries would resume Monday,” France24 writes. “The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he’s not authorised to discuss the issue with the media.”

President Trump has sought to downplay the weekend flare-up in hostilities. He told reporters that the ceasefire is still in placed, but that Hamas had been “rambunctious and they’ve been doing some shooting.” He stipulated it could be “some rebels within” the armed group. “Either way it’s gonna be handled properly. Toughly but properly,” he added.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner have returned to Israel, as part of efforts to ensure the fragile ceasefire continues, and after Israel temporarily prevented aid from reaching the Strip, but then reopened at least one border crossing on Monday morning.

Kushner told CBS over the weekend, “The biggest message that we’ve tried to convey to the Israeli leadership now is that now that the war is over, if you want to integrate Israel with the broader Middle East, you have to find a way to help the Palestinian people thrive and do better.”

Israeli media is also reporting Vice President JD Vance is also to visit Israel on Tuesday, with Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport being the first to note it’s been ordered to make preparations.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera highlights yet another pressing issue facing Palestinians – toxic health risks piling up in cities and streets. “Public services were suspended during the war, and waste piled up. Municipal officials say piles of filthy rubbish need to be cleared from Gaza’s streets,” the outlet reports. “The mounds of rubbish are posing a severe health risk.”