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ISRAEL is set to continue restricting humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza and will keep its southern border closed through at least Wednesday, following what it described as a breach of the current ceasefire agreement by Hamas. The move comes amid signs of renewed instability in the enclave, where Hamas fighters have reportedly executed several men in public and reasserted control over parts of Gaza.
Reuer reported on Wednesday that the developments follow the handover of additional bodies of Israeli hostages by Hamas, which on Tuesday returned four coffins via the Red Cross at a northern Gaza meeting point.
The Israeli military confirmed the reception and said the remains were being transported for forensic identification.
According to Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem, the handover was part of the broader agreement to end more than two years of fighting, adding on Facebook:
“At this moment, the men are continuing to oversee the implementation of what was agreed upon regarding the handover of bodies as part of the agreement to end the war in Gaza.”
Despite this progress, Israeli authorities have halved the number of aid trucks permitted to enter Gaza and delayed the reopening of the border with Egypt. Officials cited Hamas’s failure to return all the agreed remains as a violation of the ceasefire terms.
Under the deal brokered last week, Hamas was expected to return 28 deceased hostages; only eight have so far been handed over, with 19 still unaccounted for and one person believed to remain missing in the Gaza Strip.
The increasingly fragile truce faces additional pressure after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas, demanding the group disarm.
“If they don't disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently,” Trump warned during a White House address, a day after his speech to the Knesset in Jerusalem in which he hailed a “historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also made clear that the war cannot end until Hamas lays down its weapons and relinquishes control of Gaza — a position Hamas has rejected.
While a major hostage exchange has been completed — with Israel releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in return for the last 20 living Israeli hostages — the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire.
The enclave, heavily damaged by Israel’s military campaign, faces famine conditions affecting more than half a million people. Humanitarian agencies had anticipated the entry of up to 600 aid trucks daily during the truce, but this target has not been met.
Plans to evacuate the wounded through Egypt are also on hold as the Rafah crossing remains closed. In Gaza City and surrounding areas, civilians report worsening shortages of food, water and medicine.
Meanwhile, Hamas has reasserted its presence on the streets, particularly in areas critical for aid distribution.
Gaza residents said fighters were visible throughout urban zones on Tuesday. A video circulated online shows seven men being executed by Hamas fighters in Gaza City’s central square, accused of collaborating with Israel.
A Hamas source confirmed the executions occurred on Monday, and Reuters was able to verify the location using geographic markers.
Palestinian security officials said dozens had died in recent days in clashes between Hamas fighters and rival factions. Israeli forces also reportedly killed several Palestinians in separate incidents — including five men struck by drones as they approached homes in eastern Gaza City, and another killed in an airstrike near Khan Younis. Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire.
The Israeli military claimed those targeted had crossed truce lines and approached troops despite warnings.
According to the Gaza health ministry, more than 67,000 people have been killed in the enclave since hostilities began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli estimates.
Gaza’s Civil Defence Service reported recovering 250 bodies from the rubble since the ceasefire began.
While Trump has previously signalled a willingness to allow Hamas limited authority in Gaza as part of a transitional phase, his recent threats of force indicate dwindling U.S. patience. Israeli officials have so far refrained from publicly addressing the renewed presence of Hamas forces.
The ceasefire, though still nominally in effect, appears increasingly fragile amid continued accusations, restricted aid, and rising tensions on the ground. - October 15, 2025
