In a region long accustomed to uncertainty, the latest attempt at peace in Gaza is teetering on a knife’s edge. On October 20, 2025, two high-profile U.S. envoys—special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner—arrived in Israel with a clear mission: bolster a fragile ceasefire that has been battered by renewed violence and deep mistrust on all sides. Their visit, closely watched by international observers and the people of Gaza and Israel alike, comes at a critical moment for a truce that many fear could unravel at any moment.
Just a day earlier, on October 19, Israel had threatened to halt shipments of desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. This followed a deadly escalation: Israeli forces launched strikes across the territory, killing dozens, after accusing Hamas militants of killing two Israeli soldiers in Rafah. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 45 people died in those retaliatory strikes, contributing to a grim total of 80 deaths in Gaza since the ceasefire began on October 10, 2025. The numbers are stark, but behind each statistic are families and communities reeling from loss, as Associated Press footage showed mourners lining up for funeral prayers behind bodies draped in white sheets.
By the afternoon of October 20, Israeli security officials announced that food and humanitarian aid would resume flowing into Gaza through multiple crossings, pending inspection. Yet, as United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric noted, it was unclear just how much aid was actually getting through. The uncertainty over aid deliveries remains a sore point for many in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is dire and every truckload counts.
The diplomatic push didn’t stop with Witkoff and Kushner. U.S. Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance are set to visit Israel on October 21, underscoring the high stakes Washington places on the ceasefire’s survival. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a speech confirming the upcoming meeting, issued a stern warning to Hamas: any attacks on Israeli forces would be met with “a very heavy price.” The message was unambiguous and reflected Israel’s continued vigilance even as it publicly recommitted to the truce.
President Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, was quick to assign responsibility for the recent violence. “They have to be good, and if they’re not good they’ll be eradicated,” he said, placing the onus squarely on Hamas to maintain discipline within its ranks. Trump also suggested that some of the violence might be the work of “rebels” within the militant group, rather than its leadership—a distinction that, while perhaps politically convenient, does little to calm nerves on the ground.
Since the ceasefire’s inception, the situation in Gaza has remained volatile. Hamas security forces have reappeared on the streets, clashing with armed groups and killing alleged gangsters. The group insists these actions are necessary to restore law and order in areas vacated by Israeli troops. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has taken steps to prevent further flare-ups, deploying concrete barriers and painted poles to clearly mark the so-called “yellow line” in Gaza—demarcating where Israeli troops have withdrawn and where several recent incidents have occurred. According to Israeli military statements, their forces struck and killed several people who crossed this line and “posed an imminent threat.”
For the people of Gaza, the ceasefire’s fragility is all too real. “There should be concerns as long as the matters have yet to be settled,” said Hossam Ahmed, a displaced resident from Khan Younis, echoing the widespread anxiety that the deal could collapse. The funerals held for those killed in the latest strikes only deepen the sense of unease.
One of the central pillars of the ceasefire agreement is the return of hostages. Under the terms negotiated, Israel is still awaiting the remains of several of its citizens who were taken during the war’s early days. As of October 20, 13 of 15 hostages’ remains had been returned, with Hamas pledging to hand over another later that day. This process, painstaking and fraught with emotion, is seen as a barometer for the truce’s health.
Looking ahead, the next phase of the ceasefire is expected to tackle even thornier issues: the disarmament of Hamas, further Israeli withdrawals from Gaza, and the establishment of an internationally backed authority to govern the devastated territory. The U.S. plan, as outlined by Kushner in a recent interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” hinges on whether Israel and international partners can provide a viable alternative to Hamas’s rule. “If they are successful, Hamas will fail, and Gaza will not be a threat to Israel in the future,” Kushner told the program.
Diplomatic efforts are ongoing in multiple capitals. In Cairo, a Hamas delegation led by chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya met with mediators and other Palestinian groups to discuss the ceasefire’s implementation. Meanwhile, Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, Mariam bint Ali Al-Misnad, emphasized to the Associated Press the importance of reopening the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza to scale up the delivery of life-saving aid. “The opening of the Rafah crossing remains essential to scaling up the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza,” she said, highlighting the complex international choreography required to sustain the peace.
The roots of the conflict are never far from anyone’s mind. The current war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a devastating attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251 hostages. Since then, the fighting has exacted a staggering toll: more than 68,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, a figure that includes both civilians and combatants and is widely considered credible by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Israel disputes these numbers, but has not provided its own tally. Thousands more remain missing, according to the Red Cross.
With every passing day, the ceasefire faces new tests. Mediators are working feverishly to keep channels open, but the specter of renewed violence looms large. For now, the world watches as diplomats shuttle between capitals, aid trickles into Gaza, and families on both sides hope—perhaps against hope—that this time, the peace will hold.