Israeli forces killed three people in Gaza, Palestinian medics said; Israel said they were threatening its troops (Reuters)
That brings the total number of people that Israel killed in Gaza since the start of the current truce to 342, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry (Guardian)
Meanwhile, the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad said it had identified the body of an Israeli hostage in an Israeli-controlled area of the territory, but did not announce when a handover would occur (Times of Israel)
Separately, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announced it is closing permanently after months of controversy over deadly risks faced by Palestinians approaching its distribution points, saying its model will now be folded into a U.S.-led coordination center (AP)
Rebukes Over October 7 Failures
The Israeli military’s chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, dismissed several senior commanders from reserve roles and issued reprimands to others after an internal review concluded that systemic lapses enabled Hamas’s 2023 attack; the disciplinary steps come amid growing public demands for a national inquiry into the attack (Reuters)
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later sparred with Zamir over the internal review, demanding a re-examination of the army’s lapses (AP)
Israeli Strikes Kill Dozens of Palestinians
The Israeli attacks also injured nearly one hundred, hitting vehicles, homes, and shelters, and prompting Hamas to urge U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari mediators to intervene over what it called a systematic breach of the truce (Al Jazeera)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued that the strikes followed a violation of the ceasefire by Palestinian militants that fired on Israeli troops (AP)
Israeli Raid in West Bank
Palestinian officials said Israeli forces fatally shot two youths during an overnight operation in Kfar Aqab, as the West Bank experiences surging violence (Reuters)
Across the Gaza Strip, Doctors Without Borders reported that women and children suffered blast injuries and gunshot wounds, as Israel and Hamas continue accusing each other of violating the fragile truce; UNICEF separately reported that an average of nearly two Palestinian children have been killed per day since the ceasefire began (Reuters)
Israeli Strikes in Southern Gaza
Israeli airstrikes near Khan Younis killed five Palestinians and wounded eighteen amid repeated accusations by both Israel and Hamas of ceasefire violations (Reuters)
Israeli defense officials reportedly believe Hamas is rebuilding its forces under the ceasefire while coordinating with Hezbollah and Iran to restore weapons networks; senior commanders favor harsher action against these violations but say U.S. pressure has been limiting Israel’s response (Jerusalem Post)
Separately, Israeli leaders suggested they were not concerned about losing the Israeli military’s qualitative edge, despite the U.S. sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia, as U.S. officials indicated the aircraft had been downgraded (Times of Israel)
Finally, the New York Times reported that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met with Jonathan Pollard, a former U.S. official convicted of spying for Israel, in July in Jerusalem, though the White House denied knowledge of the meeting (NYT)
Vehicle-Ramming and Stabbing Attack in West Bank
The attack near the Etzion settlement bloc killed one man and wounded three others, with Israeli troops shooting the two assailants and later discovering explosives in their car; the incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of rising settler violence, which prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call a meeting this week to discuss measures to prosecute Israelis involved in such attacks (Reuters)
During a White House visit with U.S. President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Saudi Arabia wanted to join the Abraham Accords but that “we want also to be sure that [we] secure a clear path [toward a] two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; he added that Saudi Arabia will “definitely help” fund the reconstruction of Gaza, though he did not provide an exact figure (Times of Israel)
UN Approves U.S. Gaza Plan
The UN Security Council approved a U.S.-backed plan on the future of Gaza in a 13-0 vote, rallying international backing for a new stabilization force and transitional government in the territory; China and Russia were the only countries that abstained from the vote (UN)
Many countries have been waiting for a UN mandate before committing troops to an international force; though some expressed reservations about parts of the UN resolution, diplomats told multiple news outlets they supported it in order to maintain momentum behind the current truce (NYT)
The resolution envisions an international stabilization force that would protect civilians, decommission weapons held by armed groups, and oversee the training of a Palestinian police force; Israeli forces would withdraw once the force establishes control of the territory (UN)
Trump wrote on social media that he would chair a board overseeing the transition alongside various world leaders (Truth Social)
The resolution states that if the Palestinian Authority undertakes reforms and Gaza’s rebuilding advances, conditions “may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” (Reuters)
Hamas said it rejected parts of the resolution, arguing that the UN tasking an international force with disarming Hamas “turns it into a party to the conflict in favor of the occupation” (FT)
Right-wing Israeli government ministers have expressed opposition to the plan’s promise for a pathway to Palestinian statehood (Haaretz)
Meanwhile, Germany announced that it would lift an embargo on offensive weapon sales to Israel but suggested it would reverse this decision if the ceasefire broke down (Politico)
Although the ceasefire continues to hold, Israel executed an undercover operation targeting a senior leader within the Palestinian Resistance Committee, a Hamas militant ally, though Israel did not explicitly confirm the incident (Al Jazeera)
In the West Bank, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his prior condemnation of settler violence against Palestinians, referencing a settler attack on Palestinian homes and cars; Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz likewise issued condemnations, reflecting a significant shift in the Israeli government’s approach to the issue (Jerusalem Post)
More Israeli Condemnations of Settler Violence
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised the Israeli military would take “forceful action” against settlers attacking Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces in the West Bank; the statement marked a rare condemnation of settler violence from the Israeli leader (Times of Israel)
Hamas Expands Control in Gaza
Gaza residents say that Hamas has tightened oversight of commerce and movement in areas under its control despite publicly insisting it is merely managing essential services until a technocratic authority is formed; analysts warn that the slowdown in international negotiations is facilitating this consolidation by Hamas (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities returned fifteen Palestinian bodies to Gaza after Hamas handed over the body of a slain hostage a few days earlier, although threats to the ceasefire continued as Israel initiated air strikes in response to alleged truce violations by Palestinian militants (Al Jazeera)
More Options for Post-War Gaza
A European Union (EU) draft proposal outlined a plan for the bloc to lead training for roughly 3,000 Gaza-based Palestinian police officers as part of wider efforts to support the U.S. government’s Gaza roadmap; the document also suggests expanding EU civilian missions in the region (Reuters)
Israeli Leaders Condemn West Bank Violence
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned surging settler violence against Palestinian civilians and Israeli military forces in the West Bank, calling for it to end (AP)
Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces Eyal Zamir and the northern West Bank’s regional commander likewise condemned the violence, calling for soldiers to intervene in future instances (Times of Israel)
Senior Israeli government ministers did not issue any statements, however (NBC)
Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad said they would transfer a hostage’s body tonight (Reuters)
At the UN, Russia put forward its own plan for a post-war Gaza, labeling it a “counter-proposal” to U.S. efforts (Times of Israel). The U.S. resolution is facing objections from Russia, China, and several Arab states, mainly over the proposed “Board of Peace” transitional body and the lack of a clear role for the Palestinian Authority (AP)
Israel Reopens Gaza Border Crossing
The Zikim Crossing in northern Gaza will be used to transport additional humanitarian aid, after it was shut on September 12; humanitarian groups continue to suggest that more assistance is needed in the Gaza Strip, while the UN claimed that Israel was blocking vaccines and food supplies for children (NYT;New Arab)
The Israeli military continued responding to alleged ceasefire violations across Gaza, killing Palestinians who it suggested crossed the border demarcation and launching airstrikes in the north (Al Jazeera)
Separately, U.S. President Donald Trump sent a formal request to Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid his corruption trial; Israeli opposition leaders raised concerns about undue U.S. influence in Israeli domestic political processes (AP)
Next Steps in Gaza
Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, met in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the Gaza truce; they discussed an impasse over Hamas fighters sheltering in tunnels beneath Rafah, for whom Hamas is demanding safe passage and whom Israel and the United States seek to disarm (Times of Israel)
Separately, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visited France, where President Emmanuel Macron said Paris would help draft a future constitution for a Palestinian state (Reuters)
In the West Bank, dozens of masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in the villages of Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf, torching property and injuring four people; the army said it intervened to disperse the clashes and arrested four suspects (BBC)
Mediation Talks Stall Over Trapped Hamas Fighters
The United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey are working to broker safe passage for the approximately two hundred operatives, whose fate has stalled ceasefire negotiations, as the mediators push to transition towards the second phase of the U.S. peace plan (Reuters)
Meanwhile, a senior United Arab Emirates official, Anwar Gargash, affirmed that his country would not participate in the U.S.-proposed International Stabilization Force, suggesting that a “clear framework” for the force remains unclear (AFP/Times of Israel)
Hamas Rejects Calls for Fighters To Surrender
Egyptian officials and other mediators have proposed allowing about two hundred fighters trapped in a Rafah tunnel safe passage in exchange for disarmament and surrender, but Hamas rejected the call, urging mediators to instead prevent any Israeli attacks that would violate the ceasefire (Reuters)
Israel and Hamas Exchange Human Remains
Israel returned fifteen Palestinian remains to Gaza after receiving the body of an Israeli hostage; meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry said more than 69,000 Palestinians have died since the war began, as it continues searching for Palestinian bodies buried under the rubble (Al Jazeera)
In the West Bank, settlers attacked Palestinian farmers, injuring at least eleven people, including journalists and medics, as settler violence surges to monthly levels not seen since at least 2006, per the UN (AP; Reuters)
U.S. Intelligence Gathered Reports of Possible Israeli Crimes
Former U.S. officials told Reuters that intelligence gathered last year showed Israeli military lawyers warned that Israel may have been committing war crimes in its Gaza campaign; the findings sparked internal debate within the Biden administration about U.S. complicity, even as it failed to alter U.S. military support for Israel (Reuters)
Separately, Reuters also reported that Azerbaijan would not deploy troops to Gaza unless hostilities between Israel and Hamas cease entirely, even though Baku was an early contender for the U.S.-proposed International Stabilization Force in Gaza (Reuters)
Mediators Continue Push for International Force
The United States shared a draft resolution backing its peace plan for Gaza and authorizing a two-year governance and security force empowered to disarm Hamas, saying it has regional backing and could move to a vote within weeks; the force would deploy roughly 20,000 troops from partner states while Washington rules out sending U.S. soldiers (Reuters)
Separately, the United States is pushing Israel to permit 100–200 Hamas fighters trapped in a Rafah tunnel network to leave under a conditional amnesty tied to President Trump’s Gaza plan, though Israeli leaders oppose releasing suspects implicated in attacks (Times of Israel)
Israeli officials offered conflicting assessments on whether the body of slain hostage Hadar Goldin is in the tunnel system, with the military denying it possesses such information (Jerusalem Post)
Hamas Transfers Hostage As Sporadic Clashes Continue
The latest transfer of a hostage body leaves six others still in Gaza; meanwhile, Palestinian authorities reported multiple civilians killed by Israeli fire, as Israel accused individuals of crossing into Israeli-controlled areas (Reuters)
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, a Hamas delegation met with Turkish intelligence officials to discuss continued efforts to maintain the ceasefire agreement (Anadolu Agency)
Gaza Ceasefire Shakily Carries On
Several Muslim-majority countries held talks on the future of Gaza in Istanbul, while the United States reportedly circulated a draft UN resolution for an international force in the territory. Countries that met in Istanbul included Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE); some are considering contributing troops for the international force (Reuters)
The draft resolution would give the United States and partner countries a mandate to govern Gaza and provide security through 2027, Axios reported (Axios)
The meeting discussed how to ensure “legitimacy” for the future international mission in Gaza, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said; speaking to reporters afterward, he accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and called for Israel to allow sufficient aid into Gaza (Guardian;Al Jazeera)
Israel says it is allowing hundreds of trucks of aid daily into the territory, but aid workers warn the enclave’s needs are still not being met (NYT)
Despite Turkey’s role in facilitating the peace talks, Israel has said it opposes direct Turkish participation in an international force (AP)
In Gaza, Israeli forces fatally shot three Palestinians near Rafah, accusing them of crossing the ceasefire demarcation line separating Israeli troops from the Gazan population; still, Israel transferred forty-five Palestinian bodies to Gazan health authorities following a hostage transfer on Sunday, suggesting the fragile agreement continues to move forward (Reuters)
Meanwhile, in Israel, authorities arrested Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the IDF’s highest-ranking legal officer, after she admitted to leaking the video of Israeli troops allegedly abusing Palestinian prisoners at the Sde Teiman holding facility in July 2024 (Guardian)
Transfer of Hostage Remains
Hamas handed over the bodies of three Israeli hostages as part of an ongoing truce, while an Israeli strike killed one person in Gaza (Times of Israel)
U.S. Chair of Joint Chiefs of Staff Meets With Israel’s Defense Minister
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz about the U.S.-Israel defense relationship and disarming Hamas in Gaza (Times of Israel)
Gaza Ceasefire Implementation Continues
Hamas operatives are continuing to search for the bodies of slain hostages in the Gaza Strip, expanding their search scope to areas held by the Israeli military after receiving approval to do so (Times of Israel)
Meanwhile, Israel returned the bodies of thirty Palestinians in return for the two hostage bodies that Hamas returned a day earlier (AP)
Separately, General Dan Caine, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir in Israel to discuss regional military developments (X)
Hamas Returns Bodies of Two Additional Hostages
The transfer brings the number of hostage bodies remaining in the Gaza Strip to thirteen (AP)
Speaking at a ceremony for the Israel Defense Forces, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to initiate further strikes if Hamas again violates the ceasefire terms or if it refuses to disarm in future talks (Times of Israel)
Meanwhile, the United Nations reported that aid deliveries have increased exponentially in October, although it says they remain insufficient (AFP)
Israel Resumes Ceasefire After Strikes in Gaza
Israel launched strikes in Gaza overnight that killed over one hundred people, local health officials said; the strikes came after Israel said Hamas handed over the partial remains of a body that was partly transferred earlier in the war and fired on Israeli troops in southern Gaza (AP)
The Israeli military later conducted a limited airstrike hitting a weapons site in the northern Gaza Strip, although its military campaign remains halted (Reuters)