97 killed in Gaza since ceasefire, Trump says it is 'still in place'

ISLAMABAD: The situation in Gaza remains tense as Israeli military operations continue amid mounting challenges on the ground. While US President Donald Trump says that the truce is holding, the ceasefire appears to be faltering, with disruptions to humanitarian aid and continued strikes raising questions about whether a lasting agreement can hold.

Trump, who brokered the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, has insisted that the truce “was still in place,” adding that Hamas leadership “may not be involved” in the latest violations. But he acknowledges uncertainty over whether Israel’s strikes were justified, saying he would “have to get back” on that when questioned by reporters.

The exchange of attacks and counterattacks in Gaza has left the truce fragile. Israeli airstrikes have hit several areas in Gaza, including a former school sheltering displaced civilians in Nuseirat, killing at least 26 people, according to local health authorities, Reuters reported. 

A month after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect, violence and uncertainty have continued to shadow the truce, with reports of repeated violations, suspended aid deliveries, and warnings that Palestinians remain without real guarantees for safety or relief.

According to a statement issued by the Gaza Government Media Office (Press Release No. 1009), Israel has violated the ceasefire 80 times since October 10, killing 97 Palestinians and injuring 230 others in renewed attacks across the enclave. The statement said the violations included “direct gunfire at civilians, deliberate bombardment, the execution of fire belts, and arrests of civilian citizens,” describing them as “grave and repeated breaches” of international humanitarian law.

The office said Israeli forces used tanks, drones, and combat aircraft to target residential neighborhoods in all governorates of Gaza. It called on the United Nations and guarantor states to intervene and “compel the occupation to cease its continuous aggression and protect the defenseless civilian population.”

The Israeli military said its airstrikes were in response to a ceasefire violation by Hamas that killed two soldiers, though Hamas denied involvement.

Aid deliveries falter again

On Sunday, Israel briefly halted all supplies to Gaza following what it called a “blatant” violation of the agreement. The decision came despite US pressure to resume deliveries, which an Israeli security source said could restart on Monday.

The Rafah border crossing with Egypt remains closed. Israel said its reopening depends on Hamas completing the handover of hostages’ bodies, while Hamas said many of the deceased remain trapped beneath rubble and require specialized recovery equipment, Reuters reported.

No real guarantees for Palestinians

The ceasefire had raised expectations that the flow of aid would increase and that reconstruction could begin after two years of war. But the United Nations says that, despite some progress, the amount of food, fuel, and medicine entering Gaza remains far below what is required.

Meanwhile, the US State Department has warned that it received “credible reports” that Hamas may be planning an attack on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, an act it said would represent a “grave violation” of the ceasefire, AP reported.

Fragile truce, fading hope

Human rights advocate and former United Nations Relief and Works Agency spokesperson Chris Gunness told a Middle-East-based digital news outlet that Palestinians “don’t have the means to prevent the resumption of genocide.” He said the ceasefire’s terms made it “bound to collapse,” as Gaza’s devastation has left authorities unable to recover hostages’ remains or oversee large-scale reconstruction.

The ceasefire agreement, which was intended to end two years of bloodshed, is now faltering both in letter and in spirit. With Israeli strikes continuing, aid flows disrupted, and both sides accusing each other of violations, the path to peace remains uncertain.