Members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) arrive at the site where Hamas militants are searching for the remains of hostages in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip, December 1, 2025 

Roger McKenzie, Morning Star, 3 Dec 2025

ISRAEL said today that it will begin allowing Palestinians to leave Gaza through a reopened border crossing — but they would not be allowed to return.

This comes a day after aid groups revealed that at least 64,000 children have been killed or injured by Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023.

The decision by the Israelis is part of the so-called ceasefire deal reached with Hamas and the other Palestinian resistance groups, a deal Israeli forces are accused of violating with their continuing attacks on Palestinians.

The Gaza Health Ministry said that more than 360 Palestinians have been killed across Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on October 11. The ministry sets the total Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks at over 70,100.

The statement about opening Rafah came from the Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (Cogat), the Israeli military body charged with facilitating aid to Gaza.

It said that Israel would co-ordinate with Egypt on the exit of Palestinians, under the supervision of a mission from the European Union. Those wishing to leave Gaza will require “Israeli security approval,” Cogat said.

The ceasefire deal calls for the crossing to be opened for medical evacuations and for travel to and from the strip.

But an Israeli source said that all Palestinians who want to exit Gaza will be able to exit through Rafah as long as Egypt agrees to receive them, but the crossing won’t be open for people wishing to return to Gaza.

The official said that the EU still had to make some adjustments to logistics before the crossing could open.

The crossing was sealed off in May 2024 when Israel’s military invaded the area. It was briefly opened in February this year for the evacuation of sick and wounded Palestinians for treatment, as part of the previous ceasefire deal.

The United Nations Children’s Fund, the Global Protection Cluster Network and the Child Protection Area of ​​Responsibility warned that more than 64,000 Palestinian children have been killed or injured by Israel in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

In a statement, the organisations reported 658,000 school dropouts due to the devastation caused by systematic Israeli aggression, which has left at least 70,000 people dead in Gaza.

The statement said that children “are exposed to relentless violence, repeated displacement and severe deprivation.”

The three aid groups warned that as a consequence of Israel’s attacks, more than 11,000 children have suffered serious injuries and require long-term rehabilitation and are in desperate need of mental health support.

by Dave DeCamp | November 17, 2025

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir has called for the assassination of Palestinian Authority officials and for PA President Mahmoud Abbas to be placed in solitary confinement if the UN advances the recognition of a Palestinian state.

“A ‘Palestinian’ state of the ‘invented people’ who call themselves ‘Palestinian’ must never be established, because the aspiration of those seeking to establish such a state is to build it on the ruins of the State of Israel,” Ben Gvir said at a meeting of his Jewish Power party, according to The Times of Israel.

“If they accelerate recognition of a Palestinian terror state… orders must be given for targeted killings of senior Palestinian Authority officials — who are terrorists in every respect — as well as an order for the arrest of [Mahmoud Abbas]. There is a solitary confinement cell ready for him in Ketziot Prison,” he added.

As the minister of national security, Ben Gvir oversees Israeli prisons, where at least 98 Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, according to new data, due to torture, food deprivation, medical neglect, and other Israeli abuses.

Ben Gvir’s call for the killing of PA officials came ahead of a UN Security Council resolution that would authorize the deployment of an “International Stabilization Force” to Gaza. Some states initially objected to the resolution because it made no mention of a Palestinian state, prompting the US to add an amendment that says once the PA “faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced, the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

The US issued a joint statement with several Arab states on Friday that said the US resolution “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” But the Israeli government has made clear that it’s very opposed to the establishment of the Palestinian state, and the US plan for Gaza doesn’t address the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the continued expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the territory.

by Dave DeCamp, Antiwar. com, November 16, 2025

The Israeli military has killed 266 Palestinians and wounded 635 since the US-backed “ceasefire” deal went into effect on October 10, Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The Health Ministry said that over the previous 72-hour period, at least two Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Sunday that at least one Palestinian was killed by an Israeli airstrike targeting a group of civilians to the east of Gaza City. A source at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza told Al Jazeera that three Palestinians were killed by Israeli airstrikes east of Khan Younis.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed while allegedly crossing or approaching the so-called “yellow line,” the boundary that Israeli troops withdrew to under the ceasefire deal. The IDF has maintained a policy of shooting or bombing anyone who approaches the line, which is not clearly marked for the Palestinians on the ground. Many Palestinians want to return to their homes or the rubble of their homes on the Israeli-occupied side of Gaza.

Mourners carry the bodies of children during the funeral of Palestinians who, according to the medics, were killed in overnight Israeli strikes, at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, October 29, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

The IDF also killed more than 100 Palestinians, including 46 children, in a single night of bombing at the end of October after alleging its troops were attacked by Hamas, an incident which resulted in the death of one Israeli soldier. According to Israeli media reports, the IDF soldier was killed by a group of Palestinian militants isolated in Rafah when the tunnel they were hiding in collapsed as a result of IDF operations in the area.

Hamas denied any role in the attack, and Israeli media reports said the IDF didn’t know if Hamas’s leadership was involved, but it still launched a massive bombardment across Gaza in response, a massacre that was supported by the Trump administration.

Israel has also violated the ceasefire by not fulfilling the stipulation in the deal for it to allow an “unrestricted” flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, as it just recently allowed aid deliveries to enter a border crossing into northern Gaza. Israel was also supposed to open the Rafah border crossing connecting Gaza and Egypt, but it remains closed.

Gaza’s Health Ministry also said on Sunday that since the truce deal went into effect, the bodies of 548 deceased Palestinians have been recovered from the rubble, and Israel has handed over the remains of 330 Palestinians in exchange for the bodies of Israeli captives released by Hamas. Around 10,000 Palestinians are still missing in Gaza and presumed dead under the rubble.

Since October 7, 2023, the Health Ministry’s death toll has reached 69,483, and the number of wounded has climbed to 170,706. Studies have found that the ministry’s numbers are likely a significant undercount, and could be by as much as 40%, meaning the real violent death toll could be close to 100,000.

According to Haaretz, the US expects to be notified before Israel launches any major airstrikes in Gaza

by Dave DeCamp, Antiwar. com, October 23, 2025 at 8:47 pm ET

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Thursday, making him the fourth Trump administration official to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week and push for Israel to comply with the Gaza ceasefire deal, which Israeli media is referring to as “Bibi-sitting.”

“[T]he President has made this a top priority, I think as evidenced by the fact that both Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were here for much of the week … and the Vice President just left,” Rubio told reporters after meeting with Netanyahu.

“I’m here now today because this is a priority. It’s a very important achievement, but there’s more work to be done and bigger achievements that lie ahead. And so we’re here to work on that, and we feel very positive and confident that we’re going to get there despite substantial obstacles,” he added.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following their meeting at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem, October 23, 2025. Fadel Senna/Pool via REUTERS

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that, according to several Trump officials, there is concern within the administration that Netanyahu may quit the ceasefire deal and that the strategy is for senior US officials to prevent him from restarting the full-scale bombing campaign in Gaza.

Israel has been violating the deal by not allowing a sufficient number of aid trucks to enter Gaza, and it has continued attacks on Palestinians, killing at least 89 since the ceasefire went into effect, including one over the past day, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The US appears to be tolerating the current situation but wants to prevent Israel from launching major airstrikes on Gaza, like the attacks that were seen this past Sunday.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Thursday that the US expects to be notified in advance before the IDF “conducts any exceptional military strikes in the Gaza Strip, including airstrikes.”

The report said: “Israeli defense sources say that the Americans are not yet presenting this as a demand for a green light from them before any military action. But, in practice, they are making it very clear that they will not tolerate any more Israeli surprises that would jeopardize the cease-fire.”

According to a report from The New York Times, the opposite is true, as regional countries are hesitant to send a peacekeeping force into Gaza

by Dave DeCamp, Antiwar. com, October 21, 2025 at 6:22 pm ET

President Trump claimed on Tuesday that many of the US’s allies in the Middle East are willing to send a force into Gaza to fight Hamas, a claim that came as The New York Times reported that regional countries are hesitant to be part of a peacekeeping force in Gaza over fears of potential clashes with Hamas.

“Numerous of our NOW GREAT ALLIES in the Middle East, and areas surrounding the Middle East, have explicitly and strongly, with great enthusiasm, informed me that they would welcome the opportunity, at my request, to go into GAZA with a heavy force and “straighten our Hamas” if Hamas continues to act badly, in violation of their agreement with us,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

While Trump claims Hamas has been violating the ceasefire, he has been silent on Israeli violations, which include continued attacks in Gaza and restrictions on aid entering the Strip.
President Donald Trump poses with the signed agreement at a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, October 13, 2025. Yoan Valat/Pool via REUTERS

“The love and spirit for the Middle East has not been seen like this in a thousand years! It is a beautiful thing to behold! I told these countries, and Israel, “NOT YET!” There is still hope that Hamas will do what is right. If they do not, an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL!” Trump said in his post.

The president didn’t mention any countries that were willing to send troops to fight Hamas, but thanked Indonesia in his post for its willingness to be involved in the ceasefire process. “Also, I would like to thank the great and powerful country of Indonesia, and its wonderful leader, for all of the help they have shown and given to the Middle East, and to the U.S.A. TO EVERYONE, thank you for your attention to this matter!” he said.

The New York Times report said that representatives of countries that are expected to be a part of a future peacekeeping force in Gaza have said privately that they will not commit troops until there is more clarity on what they’re expected to do. Their main concern is that they don’t want their troops to be expected to fight Hamas on Israel’s behalf.

The Times report said that recent discussions on the potential for deploying troops to Gaza have included Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Israel has expressed opposition to the idea of a Turkish presence. Vice President JD Vance was asked about Israel’s position on the potential of Turkish troops being sent to Gaza and said the US wouldn’t “force” anything on Israel.

President Trump said he may soon travel to the region

by Dave DeCamp, Antiwar. com, October 8, 2025 at 6:44 pm ET

Updated on October 8, 2025, at 10:18 pm EST

President Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have both “signed off” on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal.

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly!” the president wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday night.

“This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” Trump added.

Drop Site News reported earlier that Hamas and other Palestinian factions had agreed to a framework for a Gaza ceasefire deal. Before his announcement, President Trump said that a deal was “very close” and that he could be traveling to the region this weekend.

According to the Drop Site report, Hamas agreed to a deal that will involve Israeli troops remaining in Gaza after they release all of the Israeli captives. Hamas was initially opposed to a deal that didn’t include a full Israeli withdrawal along with the release of the hostages.

A source told Drop Site that Hamas was now trusting President Trump to guarantee that Israel won’t restart its genocidal war. “Trusting [Trump’s] word is the gamble they are taking. If it works, they will be considered geniuses. If it fails, they will be considered fools. It’s as simple as that,” the source said.

Israel previously broke a Gaza ceasefire deal that was signed in January and has constantly violated a Lebanon ceasefire deal that it signed in November 2024. After Trump’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he will convene his government on Thursday to “approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home.”

Al Jazeera reported that Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza City as Palestinians were celebrating Trump’s ceasefire announcement. Since President Trump called on Israel to “immediately” stop the bombing in Gaza on October 3, Israel has killed more than 100 Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli attacks have been less intense over the past two days, but they haven’t stopped.

 The Palestinian group accused Netanyahu of attempting to “obstruct and thwart” a deal

by Kyle Anzalone, Antiwar. com, October 7, 2025

Hamas issued its demands for reaching an agreement with Israel to release the remaining hostages and end the war. Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect negotiations to attempt to reach an agreement under a framework proposed by President Donald Trump.

On Tuesday, Hamas gave its demands for reaching a deal. The Palestinian group’s positions include a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all of Gaza, the unrestricted entry of humanitarian and relief aid, and the immediate rebuilding of the Strip overseen by Palestinians.

Demanding the full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza may create a barrier to reaching a deal. Under Trump’s 20-point peace plan, Israel would engage in a phased withdrawal from Gaza but retain a large buffer zone around the Strip.

Additionally, the President’s proposal called for the rebuilding of Gaza to be completed by a trust that includes Trump as the chair and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on the board.

Trump unveiled the peace plan in a presser with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week. However, after Hamas agreed to release the Israeli hostages on Friday and Trump called for an immediate ceasefire, Netanyahu has continued military operations in Gaza.

Tuesday’s negotiations between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, were the second day of talks. On Monday, Egyptian and Qatari officials reported the negotiations were “positive,” and Trump said the deal had a “good chance.”

Netanyahu has remained pessimistic that a deal will be completed, reportedly leading to friction with Trump. On Friday, Axios reports, Trump lashed out at Netanyahu on a call when he expressed skepticism about Hamas agreeing to release the hostages.

Hamas and Trump have said that a ceasefire is critical to facilitating the release of the remaining 48 Israeli hostages in Gaza. Israeli strikes in Gaza continued on Tuesday. Netanyahu says he will not order the IDF to halt operations until all the hostages are returned to Israel.

Hamas’s spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, said that the group was working to “overcome all obstacles” to reach an agreement, but Netanyahu was attempting to “obstruct and thwart” a deal as he had “deliberately thwarted all previous rounds.”

Israel has assassinated multiple Hamas negotiators over the past two years. Last month, Netanyahu ordered the assassination of the Palestinian group’s leadership in Qatar as they were meeting to discuss a ceasefire and hostage exchange proposed by Trump. The Israeli strikes failed to kill the targeted Hamas official.

On Tuesday, Trump said he had dispatched American negotiators to join the ongoing talks in Egypt.

Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Anitwar.com and news editor of the Libertarian Institute. He hosts The Kyle Anzalone Show and is co-host of Conflicts of Interest with Connor Freeman.

Israel continues heavy attacks on central and southern Gaza despite telling Palestinians in Gaza City to flee there

by Dave DeCamp, Antiwar. com, September 24, 2025 at 1:25 pm ET | Gaza, Israel

Israeli strikes and gunfire across the Gaza Strip killed at least 84 Palestinians on Wednesday, medical sources told the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The IDF continues its assault on Gaza City, where it aims to forcibly displace the entire civilian population and raze every building to the ground, but it also continues to launch attacks in central and southern Gaza despite telling the Palestinians in Gaza City to head south.

Al Jazeera reported that an Israeli strike hit a stadium in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza that has been turned into a shelter for displaced Palestinians, killing 12 people, including seven women and two children.
Palestinians injured and killed in an Israeli attack on Nuseirat while waiting to receive humanitarian aid are brought to Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat camp, Gaza, on September 24, 2025 (IMAGO/APAimages via Reuters Connect)

“Despite these endless evacuation orders from Israeli forces telling Palestinians to leave Gaza City for the central and southern areas of the Strip, they are still being targeted wherever they go,” said Al Jazeera reporter Hind Khoudary.

WAFA reported that three Palestinians were killed while waiting for humanitarian aid northwest of Rafah, southern Gaza. Among the three killed was Mohammed al-Satari, a 36-year-old soccer player who previously played for the Shabab Rafah Sports Club.

In Gaza City, medics told Reuters that 20 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes on a shelter housing displaced people near a market in the center of the city.

“We were sleeping in God’s care, there was nothing – they did not inform us, or not even give us a sign – it was a surprise,” Sami Hajjaj, a survivor of the attack, told Reuters. “There are children and women, around 200 people maybe, six-seven families, this square is full of families.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said in its daily update, which it releases about midday Gaza time, that it recorded the deaths of 33 Palestinians and the recovery of four bodies of Palestinians killed by previous Israeli attacks. The ministry said that its violent death toll since October 7, 2023, has reached 65,419, and the number of wounded has climbed to 167,160. Studies have found that the ministry’s numbers are likely a significant undercount.