The Israel-Hamas ceasefire continues hanging by a thread, now about two-and-a-half weeks in, but there are new reports of airstrikes in Gaza by Israeli warplanes.
Israeli warplanes and tanks struck targets in eastern Gaza on Thursday, according to Palestinian residents and witnesses, cited in Reuters and other outlets. Over 100 Palestinians have died after on Tuesday Israel resumed airstrikes, citing the death of an IDF reserve soldier after Hamas gunmen opened fire in Rafah.
Wednesday saw Israel’s military proclaim that it was returning to observing the ceasefire, following pressure from the White House. But Thursday’s new airstrikes suggest fighting and bombardments have continued, and events on the ground have not aligned with the public-facing rhetoric.
Witnesses reported around ten airstrikes east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, alongside tank shelling near Gaza City in the north, Reuters has noted in its latest reporting.
But Israel is still claiming the ceasefire is on, calling the new operation “precise strikes” against “terrorist infrastructure posing a threat to troops” in areas still under Israeli control.
So it seems that the Israeli rationale is based on these new strikes only taking place where Israel’s military is fully deployed, and not in places like Gaza City where the IDF withdrew as part of the Phase 1 agreement called for in Trump’s peace plan.
Hamas has this week communicated its readiness and willingness to abide by the terms of the ceasefire, and says it is preparing to hand over more hostage bodies to Israel – amid a broader search for more remains.
Hamas officials have criticized “a systematic campaign of misinformation” by the Israeli side said to be aimed at concealing “crimes against civilians.”
Meanwhile there are separate reports that fighting in the West Bank has been heating up, which could also serve to threaten the truce deal in Gaza:
“The situation in the West Bank is absolutely horrifying,” says Palestinian politician @MustafaBarghou1.
In Gaza, he adds, “so far, more than 211 Palestinians have been killed during the ceasefire agreement and more than 600 have been injured.”
Israel’s strikes on Tuesday… pic.twitter.com/vFCLIFXeUl
— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) October 29, 2025
Vice President J.D. Vance had said of the flare-up in fighting and resulting airstrikes Tuesday afternoon, “Despite the clashes today, the ceasefire agreement in Gaza will continue.” The Trump White House has been seeking to stabilize the ceasefire, with American delegations going back-and-forth frequently of late to Israel.
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