As the Middle East teeters on the edge of both war and peace, the past week has seen a whirlwind of developments that have left the world watching, anxious and uncertain about what comes next. With the death toll in Gaza now exceeding 56,000, according to multiple reports cited by The Times of Israel and AP/LaPresse, and the specter of renewed violence always looming, leaders and citizens alike are grappling with the immense human and political costs of this conflict.
On October 12, 2025, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham made headlines by insisting that any lasting peace agreement in the Middle East must first neutralize threats from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and restrict Iran’s influence. “Just as Hamas used October 7 to try and stop normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, Hezbollah will try to undo this latest progress in the Middle East. Iran is the common thread between these terrorist organizations – we have to keep Iran in a box,” Graham wrote in a post on X, referencing his comments on NBC’s Meet the Press. According to Benzinga España, Graham’s warning was clear: broader diplomacy will fail if these actors can frustrate negotiations.
The latest ceasefire in Gaza, though fragile, has created a narrow window for renewed talks. Graham acknowledged that this calm presents an opportunity, but he cautioned that a sustainable agreement will require addressing other key issues before moving to final status discussions. He believes there is a path toward an independent and sovereign Palestine that Israel could accept and coexist with, but, as he put it, “that will require a lot of work.” The senator, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, added, “There will be no normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel unless a plan is developed that allows Palestinians to have an independent and sovereign country that does not threaten Israel.” However, he warned that after the events of October 7, 2023, any future Palestinian entity would likely look very different—“more like an emirate, probably a Saudi protectorate,” rather than a fully independent state.
Graham has long argued that progress in the region hinges on containing Hezbollah and curbing Tehran’s reach. He reiterated that if a peaceful disarmament solution for Hezbollah proves impossible, then “we must contemplate a plan B,” which, as reported by The Times of Israel, would involve supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces and applying stricter pressure on Iran.
Amid these high-level diplomatic maneuvers, the situation on the ground remains dire. The Israeli military operation in Gaza continues, and the death toll has surpassed 56,000, as confirmed by local health authorities. The violence has not been limited to Gaza. On October 18, 2025, an Israeli airstrike killed one person in Deir Kifa, southern Lebanon, in an attack reportedly carried out by an Israeli drone, according to Lebanese media cited by AP/LaPresse. Israeli aircraft also dropped sonic bombs on farmers in Bastra near Blida, further escalating tensions along the border.
Meanwhile, thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, demanding the return of the bodies of hostages killed in Gaza. The largest of these rallies took place in Tel Aviv, where Einav Zangauker, mother of recently released hostage Matan Zangauker, addressed the crowd. “Our fight does not end until the last murdered hostage returns to us,” she declared, referencing the 28 bodies believed to still be in Gaza, as reported by The Times of Israel.
In a parallel development, Hamas announced it would hand over to the Red Cross the bodies of two hostages on the night of October 18. “The Al Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) will deliver the bodies of two Israeli prisoners, recovered today in the Gaza Strip, at 10:00 PM,” the group stated in a Telegram message. The identities of the bodies were not disclosed.
Against this backdrop of ongoing violence and fragile diplomacy, former President Donald Trump claimed that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “total ceasefire.” However, confusion reigns on the ground, with attacks persisting and skepticism mounting over the durability of the truce. Trump’s son-in-law and former Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, revealed during a 60 Minutes interview that Trump felt Israel was “out of control” when it bombed Hamas negotiators in Qatar in September 2025—a move that reportedly spurred the push for a new Gaza peace plan. “He felt the Israelis were a bit out of control and that it was time to be very firm and prevent them from doing things that would not be in their long-term interest,” Kushner explained.
Yet, even as ceasefire agreements are announced, violations continue to mount. Hamas accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire 47 times since October 10, resulting in 38 deaths, according to a statement from the group. Gaza authorities reported 27 deaths and 143 injuries from Israeli attacks since the ceasefire took effect, with the Ministry of Health noting that some casualties remain unaccounted for as bodies are still being recovered from the rubble.
Further complicating the humanitarian situation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on October 18 that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt would remain closed “until further notice.” This contradicted earlier statements from the Palestinian Embassy in Egypt and the World Health Organization, which had indicated the crossing would reopen on October 20 to allow Palestinians who left Gaza to return. The uncertainty over whether humanitarian aid would be permitted to enter remains unresolved.
The violence has not been confined to Gaza and southern Lebanon. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers near Turmus Ayya, northeast of Ramallah, damaging vehicles and forcing farmers to flee, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Such incidents have become increasingly common, with settlers and the Israeli military reportedly destroying thousands of olive trees—a vital source of income for Palestinian families.
Internationally, the conflict continues to resonate. On October 18, social and political groups across Spain organized events to highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and what they described as the “genocide” of Palestinians during the two-year Israeli offensive. Activists in Málaga, including members of the Freedom Flotilla, called on the world not to look away from Gaza. “Now is when it is very important that we continue to pay attention to Gaza, because they want us to forget,” emphasized activist Rafael Borrego.
As diplomatic efforts continue, skepticism abounds. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton voiced doubts about the peace plan’s most challenging condition—the disarmament of Hamas and the transfer of Gaza’s control. While initial steps, such as the ceasefire and reciprocal hostage releases, have moved forward, the road to a comprehensive and lasting peace remains fraught with obstacles.
For now, the people of Gaza, Israel, and the broader region remain caught in the crossfire of political calculations, military operations, and the slow churn of diplomacy. The coming days will test whether this fragile ceasefire can hold, and if leaders can finally deliver the peace that so many desperately seek.
