CITIZENS NEWS

Trump insists Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds despite airstrikes and rising tensions

By isabelle // 2025-10-20

• A fragile Gaza ceasefire is tested by new Israeli airstrikes and Hamas accusations.
• The strikes were a response to an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers.
• President Trump insists the ceasefire remains intact despite the renewed violence.
• A senior U.S. diplomatic team is traveling to the region to salvage the deal.
• Disputes over the return of deceased hostages' bodies further complicate the truce.

A precarious U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza is being tested just days after it began, with President Donald Trump insisting the peace deal remains intact despite Israeli airstrikes and accusations of violations from both sides. The situation escalated on October 19 when the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched strikes on Hamas targets across Gaza, a response it said was justified after an attack killed two Israeli soldiers. This first major challenge to the truce, which took effect on October 10, threatens to unravel the fragile peace process and has prompted a high-level U.S. diplomatic push to keep the agreement from collapsing. President Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, affirmed the ceasefire was still in place. "Yeah, it is," the president said when asked about the status of the deal. He suggested that recent violence might not have been sanctioned by Hamas leadership, stating, "We think maybe the leadership isn't involved in that, that it's some rebels within." Trump vowed the situation was "going to be handled toughly but properly," but when asked if the Israeli strikes were justified, he responded, "I'd have to get back to you on that," adding that the matter was "under review."

A cycle of violence resumes

The immediate catalyst for the renewed violence was an incident in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. The IDF stated that "terrorists fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward IDF troops," resulting in the deaths of two soldiers. In response, the Israeli military conducted strikes against what it described as Hamas's "weapons storage facilities, firing posts, [and] terrorist cells," as well as underground infrastructure. A spokesperson for the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza told NBC News that at least 23 people had been killed in the Israeli attacks that day. Hamas, however, denied any involvement in the attack on the Israeli soldiers. A senior official accused Israel of working to “fabricate flimsy pretexts” for its own assault. In a statement, Hamas' government media office claimed Israel had committed 80 violations of the ceasefire since it began, which it said had killed dozens and wounded hundreds.

U.S. diplomats urge calm

The Trump administration acknowledged that the path to a lasting peace would be difficult. Vice President JD Vance told reporters that “fits and starts” were to be expected. "Look, it's going to be complicated," Vance said. "Hamas is going to fire on Israel. Israel is going to have to respond. But we think that it has the best chance for a sustainable peace. But even if it does that, it's going to have hills and valleys, and we're going to have to monitor the situation." Amid the rising tensions, a top U.S. diplomatic team is descending on the region. President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were reported to be traveling to Israel. Vice President Vance also confirmed he may visit in the coming days. Their mission is clear: to prevent the ceasefire from completely disintegrating and to push the process toward the next phase, which involves the complex issues of Hamas disarmament and future governance in Gaza. Further complicating the truce are ongoing disputes over the handover of the bodies of deceased hostages. Hamas has yet to return all of the 28 deceased hostages that were in Gaza when the ceasefire began. The group has stated it is unable to immediately locate the remaining bodies due to the widespread destruction, a claim Israel disputes. Jared Kushner, however, offered a different perspective, stating, "As far as we've seen from what’s being conveyed to us from the mediators, they are so far," when asked if Hamas was acting in good faith to find the bodies. The U.S. State Department had previously issued a notice warning of credible reports that Hamas was planning an imminent attack on Palestinian civilians, a charge Hamas rejected as false. For now, the guns have fallen silent again, and reports indicate aid deliveries to Gaza, which were briefly halted by Israel, are set to resume. Nevertheless, the events of the day reveal just how fragile this peace truly is. With hardline elements on both sides, a history of broken agreements, and the immense challenge of locating deceased hostages in a war-torn landscape, the U.S.-brokered deal faces a rocky path ahead. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com NBCNews.com News.Sky.com

collapse national security Israel violence Trump chaos peace ceasefire WWIII Gaza