Israeli military actions have again violated the ceasefire in Gaza, resulting in new Palestinian casualties including children, as political deadlock over the remains of one Israeli hostage blocks critical humanitarian progress and threatens to completely collapse the U.S.-backed peace plan.
The ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, 2025, has failed to stop the violence for Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli attacks have continued on a near-daily basis, with military operations recorded on 74 out of the first 89 days of the truce. These violations have taken hundreds of Palestinian lives; health authorities report at least 425 people killed since the ceasefire began, with the total death toll from the war surpassing 71,300. Recent days have seen particularly deadly strikes, including a drone attack on a tent sheltering displaced people that killed four individuals, three of them children, and a separate strike that killed an 11-year-old girl near the Jabalia refugee camp.
Beyond direct attacks, Israel has systematically engaged in actions that violate the spirit and terms of the ceasefire. This includes the continued demolition of homes and civilian infrastructure in areas like Gaza City's Tuffah neighbourhood and the blocking of substantial amounts of international humanitarian aid at the border. The Government Media Office in Gaza has documented a pattern of specific violations, including hundreds of shootings and bombardments, raids into areas beyond agreed lines, and the detention of Palestinians.
The path to implementing the second phase of the peace plan and alleviating a dire humanitarian crisis is currently blocked by Israel's stance on the remains of one hostage. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with agreement from the Trump administration, has declared that the vital Rafah border crossing will not reopen, and Israel will not advance to the next phase of the ceasefire, until Hamas returns the body of Israeli soldier Ran Gvili. The Rafah crossing is a crucial lifeline for the flow of aid into Gaza and for allowing civilians to exit the besieged territory.
This condition has been condemned internationally as "political blackmail." Qatari officials, who are key mediators, have stated that humanitarian aid must not be used as leverage in political disputes. Hamas has stated it is actively searching for Gvili's remains in coordination with Israel, citing the widespread destruction from the war as a major logistical hurdle. Critics argue that Israel's move collectively punishes Gaza's entire population for the issue of a single body, further exacerbating a man-made catastrophe where over 80% of the population is displaced and unemployment has reached catastrophic levels.
The failure of the ceasefire to protect civilians has drawn sharp international criticism. The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly condemned Israeli restrictions that hamper aid delivery. The current deadlock over the hostage's remains has stalled the broader U.S. peace plan, whose second phase envisions Hamas's disarmament, an Israeli troop withdrawal, and the beginning of Gaza's reconstruction. Hamas officials have linked any discussion of disarmament to tangible progress toward an independent Palestinian state, a condition rejected by Israeli leaders who have pledged never to allow a Palestinian state. With violence persisting and political demands diametrically opposed, the prospect of a durable peace remains distant while the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza continues unabated.