On October 29, 2025, the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas faced one of its most severe tests yet, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a targeted airstrike in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza. The move, which the military said was necessary to eliminate "terrorist infrastructure," has drawn international scrutiny and reignited debate about the prospects for peace in the region.
According to statements released by the IDF and reported by Sky News and UNN, the strike focused on a warehouse that, in the army’s assessment, posed an "immediate threat." The facility was allegedly used to store weapons and aerial means—such as drones or other aircraft—that were "intended to be used for the execution of an imminent terror attack against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel." The IDF Southern Command remains deployed in Gaza in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, and, as a spokesperson emphasized, "will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat."
Residents of Gaza City described hearing a violent explosion and seeing a column of smoke rise above the skyline, a chilling reminder of the region’s volatility. Hospital officials, cited by BBC and Gaza Health Ministry sources, reported that at least 104 people—including 46 children—were killed overnight as a result of the Israeli strikes. Another 253 individuals were wounded. The human toll quickly became the focal point of international concern, with images of devastation circulating widely.
The escalation was prompted by a deadly incident the previous day. On October 28, Israeli reservist Master Sergeant (Res.) Yona Efraim Feldbaum, a 37-year-old soldier from the Combat Engineering Corps, was killed in the southern city of Rafah by what the IDF described as "enemy fire." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Beit Lahia strike in response, after troops reportedly came under fire in the region. While Israel maintained that the strike was a necessary defensive action, the timing and scale of the response have drawn criticism and sparked fears that the ceasefire—brokered earlier in the month—could unravel.
Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that has governed Gaza since 2007, swiftly denied any involvement in the Rafah shooting. In a press release cited by Haaretz, the group insisted it had "no relation" to the attack on Israeli forces and characterized the Israeli airstrikes as a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire. Hamas also pointed to recent Israeli strikes and the ongoing closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt as evidence of what it called continued Israeli aggression. Furthermore, a senior Hamas official told the Quds news agency that Hamas "will have no role in the Gaza Strip management committee," and that several independent figures had been proposed to Egypt to administer the enclave—an apparent gesture toward de-escalation.
International reactions to the latest violence were swift and varied. U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters, downplayed the risk to the ceasefire and voiced support for Israel’s right to defend itself. "Nothing is going to jeopardize [the ceasefire]," Trump said. "So the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit back. Nothing is going to jeopardize [the ceasefire]. You have to understand Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave." His remarks underscored the U.S. administration’s continued alignment with Israel’s security concerns, even as civilian casualties mount.
Qatar, a key mediator in ongoing peace efforts alongside the U.S. and Egypt, expressed deep frustration at the renewed violence. Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, called the attack on the Israeli soldier and the subsequent airstrikes "very disappointing and frustrating for us." He noted that Qatar had been urging Hamas to give up its governance of Gaza and to disarm, highlighting the delicate balance mediators must strike between pressuring militant groups and maintaining dialogue.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. The latest strikes have added to an already staggering toll: since the start of the conflict on October 7, 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that 68,643 people have been killed and 170,655 wounded. The persistent closure of border crossings and the ongoing ban on Red Cross visits to Palestinian security prisoners—recently extended by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz—have further complicated relief efforts. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel criticized the renewed ban, arguing that it "allows the continued abuse of prisoners as a bargaining chip with Hamas."
Back in Israel, the government and military have faced their own internal challenges. The IDF announced it was launching a criminal probe into the leak of a 2024 video showing alleged abuse of a Palestinian detainee by Israeli soldiers at the Sde Teiman military facility. The army’s top legal advisor, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, was placed on leave pending clarification of the details. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the affair as "one of the gravest blood libels against IDF soldiers," and affirmed that the legal chief would not return to her post until the investigation concludes.
Political tensions have also surfaced, particularly after Likud party MK Yuli Edelstein was removed from the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for supporting a bill to annex the West Bank—breaking with party lines. Edelstein, undeterred, responded, "Even outside the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, I will continue to fight for equal conscription and for the land of Israel. Any such removal is a moral victory for me. Anyone who thinks this deters me is greatly mistaken." The episode highlights the complex interplay between security policy, party politics, and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the West Bank, tensions remain high as well. Palestinians reported that settlers set fire to cars in the village of Atara near Ramallah on October 28, following earlier violent incidents. Israeli police arrested Rabbi Menachem Ben Shachar, a religious figure associated with the far-right Hilltop Youth movement, on suspicion of incitement to violence and racism. Both he and another settler were released after questioning under restrictive conditions, but the investigation continues.
Amid the ongoing violence in Gaza, the IDF also confirmed an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on October 14 that killed a Hezbollah operative involved in weapons transfers. The military said the action was necessary to "remove any threat posed to the State of Israel," underscoring the regional dimensions of the current crisis.
As the dust settles over Beit Lahia and the world watches anxiously, the events of October 29 serve as a stark reminder of how quickly the cycle of violence can resume in the absence of lasting political solutions. The ceasefire remains, for now, but its future appears more uncertain than ever.
