Israeli attacks across Gaza have continued despite a ceasefire agreement reached on 10 October, with hospitals reporting 13 bodies received in the past 24 hours. Humanitarian supplies entering Gaza have increased but remain far below the daily target of 2,000 tonnes, as only two crossings into the enclave remain open.
Qatar’s Emir denounced Israel’s ongoing military campaign, calling it “nothing but genocide,” and condemned what he described as “continuous violations” of the ceasefire deal.
Meanwhile, the US-brokered truce appeared to have survived its first major test after both Israel and Hamas reaffirmed their commitment to the agreement. The renewed pledge came following the killing of two Israeli soldiers in Gaza on Sunday, which prompted Israeli airstrikes across the territory, according to reports by Al Jazeera, BBC, and CNN.
US Vice President JD Vance is currently in Israel and is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. Sources say Vance is carrying a message from President Donald Trump, urging Israel to uphold the ceasefire.
“There is growing concern in Washington that Prime Minister Netanyahu might walk away from this deal,” said a senior US official familiar with the discussions.
Despite diplomatic efforts, many Gazans remain skeptical about the prospects for peace.
“I don’t care about the US or politics at all,” said Adham al-Sayed, a Gaza resident. “I just want to put food on the table and live a stable, peaceful life. That’s all that matters to me.”
Another resident, Zuhdi Abu Sharia, echoed the sentiment, saying that no one in Gaza felt “optimistic” about the situation.
The World Food Programme (WFP) said that food deliveries into Gaza, though improving, were still far below the daily target of 2,000 tonnes due to limited access points.
“To reach the required scale, we need to use every available border crossing right now,” WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told reporters in Geneva.
She said that only two crossings — Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom in Israel) and Kissufim — are currently operational, with none open to the famine-hit north. The Rafah crossing in the south also remains closed.
Israel has urged Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney to reconsider his pledge to enforce an international arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu should he visit the country.
“We believe Prime Minister Carney should welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu — the leader of the only Jewish and democratic state in the Middle East — to Canada,” an Israeli government spokesperson said.
Carney, who recently reaffirmed the stance of his predecessor Justin Trudeau, stated on Thursday that Canada would honour the International Criminal Court’s warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
