(Image source from: Nytimes.com)
A ceasefire brokered by the US is now active in the Gaza Strip, with Israeli troops pulling back to a designated boundary and many displaced Palestinians going back to their homes and neighborhoods that have suffered from war. As part of the agreement, Hamas must release Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the bodies of deceased captives within 72 hours after the ceasefire began. The United Nations has urged Israel to promptly open all routes into Gaza to allow for crucial humanitarian aid to flow in. Reportedly, increased aid deliveries are set to start on Sunday. Authorities in Gaza have requested an independent global committee to quickly investigate war crimes and genocide during the two-year conflict with Israel. At least 36 individuals, including journalists, were reported injured due to assaults by Israeli military forces and residents from illegal settlements near Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres regarding the Gaza ceasefire agreement's implementation. Sheikh Mohammed informed Guterres that Qatar would make every effort to meet its humanitarian, historical, and diplomatic responsibilities towards the Palestinians, as stated by the Foreign Ministry. Guterres expressed gratitude for Qatar’s crucial diplomatic contribution in facilitating the negotiations that led to this agreement. A ceasefire agreement for Gaza has been made, sparking cautious optimism among Palestinians about the potential end of two years of genocide. US President Donald Trump revealed the deal after urging Israel to consent to it. Following the ceasefire, an EU mission at the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt will restart, with the pedestrian crossing expected to open on Tuesday, according to Italy.
The EUBAM monitoring mission is designed to provide a neutral presence at this important crossing, involving police from Italy, Spain, and France. The mission was activated in January but was suspended in March when Israel violated the prior ceasefire.
In an announcement, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto stated he has approved the resumption of Italian operations within the EU mission. "Starting October 14, 2025, in line with the Trump agreement and in coordination with the European Union and the involved parties, the Rafah crossing will alternate directions, allowing exits to Egypt and entries to Gaza," Crosetto mentioned. He also noted that "about 600 trucks with humanitarian aid will enter Gaza daily from other crossings." In Khirbet al-Farisiya in the northern Jordan Valley of the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers have destroyed solar power equipment. The Wafa news agency, citing local sources, reported that settlers from illegal communities invaded the village and damaged solar cables owned by a Palestinian resident.
Recently, there has been a marked rise in settler attacks on Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley, with incidents of home invasions, intimidation, assault, and property destruction. Farmers have also faced aggression during these settler attacks. According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, since October 7, 2023, settlers have conducted 7,154 assaults on Palestinians and their properties.
