On October 16, meetings were held to begin a round of negotiations with Palestinian groups regarding Phase II of the Gaza agreement, awaiting the arrival of two delegations from Hamas and Jihad.
According to Politico: Indonesia, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan are the three leading countries in sending troops to the future Gaza Stabilization Force. US security officials have stated that they have not yet made a formal commitment, but are in talks and are showing the utmost interest.
At present, the ceasefire is holding, despite considerable difficulties. US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Charles “Brad” Cooper II issued a statement following numerous reports last week of extrajudicial killings by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Admiral Cooper said: “We urge Hamas to immediately cease violence and the targeting of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza, both in Hamas-controlled areas and in IDF-protected areas behind the Yellow Line.” A US official reiterated: “Hamas has carried out field executions of members of the Daghmash family, and this is a violation of Trump’s peace plan.”
US President Trump stated: “Israel may immediately resume fighting in Gaza, on my word, if Hamas does not respect the ceasefire agreement.” The president, in an interview with CNN, said: “I will consider allowing Netanyahu to return to fight in Gaza if Hamas refuses to uphold its end of the deal, as soon as I say so.” “I am currently evaluating whether Hamas will execute innocent civilians as part of its purge of opponents.”
Trump, in response to a question about what will happen if Hamas refuses to disarm: “Israel will return to those streets; they want to deal them a heavy blow.”
Hamas responded to the American accusations by saying: “The resistance has complied with the agreement and handed over all living prisoners and bodies to which it has access. As for the remaining bodies, their search and recovery requires significant effort and specialized equipment, and we are making great efforts to close this file.”
A Palestinian account wrote: “Most media outlets never mention that, for decades, Israel has adopted a policy of withholding the bodies of deceased Palestinians and denying them burial. Hundreds of bodies. In March, Trump said of Hamas: “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!” According to this account, Israel “has been holding hundreds of Palestinian bodies for 45 years, including that of Anis Dawla, a Palestinian who died during a hunger strike in an Israeli prison in 1980, despite his family begging for their return.”
The Gaza Ministry of Health: “We received 30 bodies released by Israel today, bringing the total number of bodies received to 120.”
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel agreed to allow at least 600 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza per day. However, Khamis Elessi reports that fewer than 200 have entered over the past three days. UNRWA says that despite the ceasefire, Israeli authorities continue to prevent aid from entering Gaza.
Egypt has declared the Rafah crossing open and ready for its part, but “Israel” is now creating problems in the first phase of the agreement.
On October 16, al-Sharaa/al-Jawlani asked Putin for help in redeploying its forces in Syria and preventing further violations by the Israeli army. He proposed that Putin transfer Russian peacekeeping forces to Quneitra and the south to prevent further Israeli military aggression. He also asked Bashar al-Assad to be tried and promised to uphold the old agreements.
The IDF Spokesperson: “Alarms have been activated in Eilat due to the infiltration of an enemy aircraft; the details are being verified.” “Air raid sirens sounded in Eilat after an incorrect diagnosis.” The IDF said these were false alarms. Pro-Palestinian accounts reported drone strikes in Eilat, in the southern territories.
The Houthis confirmed the death of their Chief of Staff, Major General Mohammed Abdul Karim al-Ghamari. According to the IDF, he died in an Israeli airstrike in June. General Youssef Hassan Al-Madani has been appointed in his place.
Targeted attacks by the Israeli army continue in Lebanon. Initial reports indicate that Israel targeted a car on Kafra-Sidiqine, southern Lebanon. Ambulances are en route to the site of the attack. One Lebanese man was killed and another was injured in an Israeli attack on a vehicle between the towns of Sidiqin and Kafra, Lebanon.
On October 15, an Israeli drone fired two missiles, targeting the road connecting Sidiqin and Kafra, southern Lebanon. The attack hit an express van in the al-Asi area. The Ministry of Health confirmed that at least one person was injured in the attack. Earlier that day, Al Mayadeen Lebanon published footage showing a house destroyed by Israeli occupation forces on the outskirts of the border town of Mays al-Jabal.
A series of airstrikes in the town of Bnaafoul. These attacks are unusual for these areas. The attack occurred between Bnaafoul and Houmeen al-Tahta. A drone reportedly attacked a part of the city, and a jet bombed a building and its garden with two bombs.
The Israeli Army Minister has instructed the army to prepare a comprehensive military plan to defeat Hamas in Gaza in the event of a resumption of the war. The Nasser Medical Complex reports that two civilians were seriously injured after being hit by Israeli drone fire in Bani Suheila, east of Khan Yunis.
The Rafah crossing remains closed despite stated plans to reopen it on Thursday. According to Israeli media, a date for the resumption of movement through the crossing has not yet been announced. This is another Israeli violation of the ceasefire, significantly reducing the flow of much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza.
A Palestinian was shot dead by the IDF east of the Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. According to data published by the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least 70 Palestinians have been killed by IOF since the ceasefire went into effect last week.
A motorcyclist disguised as an Israeli police officer killed two Israeli settlers and seriously injured two others southeast of Tel Aviv on the morning of October 15. On October 16, a car crashed into a bar in Kfar Saba, northeast of Tel Aviv, injuring several settlers. Israeli police say the accident was accidental, not an attack.
Sergei Matov, a reserve soldier from Hadera, was killed yesterday in a shootout on Highway 443 after stopping to neutralize the attackers. According to known details, Matov exited the car with the weapon in his hand and appears to have been mistakenly identified as the suspect in the shooting. Security forces present at the scene opened fire on him, killing him instantly. His body was transferred to the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine for further examination.
Palestinian worker beaten to death by Israeli forces near Jerusalem.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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