IRIA News

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Israeli warplanes bombed several areas across the Gaza Strip on October 19, 2025, killing at least seven Palestinians and injuring others. Officials have described the strikes as yet another violation of the recently announced ceasefire agreement.

Sources in Gaza said that five people were killed when a missile struck a coffee shop in western Al-Zawayda, a residential area crowded with hospitals and tents sheltering displaced families. The explosion tore through the site, leaving bodies scattered among overturned chairs and debris.

Two more Palestinians lost their lives in a different Israeli strike targeting the vicinity of the Al-Ahli Club in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Witnesses reported scenes of chaos as emergency crews rushed to pull survivors from the rubble.

In southern Gaza, Israeli jets bombed a displacement tent west of Khan Younis, injuring at least two civilians who had been sheltering there after fleeing earlier attacks.

Violation of the Ceasefire

The attacks came hours after Israel claimed that its forces in Rafah had come under fire from anti-tank missiles and gunmen. Hamas denied any involvement, calling Israel’s statements “false pretexts for renewed aggression.”

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee warned civilians to stay west of what he called the “yellow line,” a boundary marking areas of Israeli withdrawal under the U.S.-sponsored ceasefire deal. He shared a color-coded map dividing Gaza into “yellow” and “red” zones, describing the red-marked areas as “highly dangerous combat zones.”

Local journalists and aid workers said the new restrictions have effectively trapped thousands of families in overcrowded western Gaza, where food, water, and medical supplies remain scarce.

The ceasefire, reached on October 8 under a plan presented by U.S. President Donald Trump, was meant to end nearly two years of relentless bombardment and siege. The first phase involved the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees, along with pledges to rebuild Gaza and create a new governing mechanism for the territory.

But residents say the truce has brought little relief. “There’s no ceasefire in Gaza,” said a man in Nuseirat whose home was destroyed in Sunday’s attack. “The bombs haven’t stopped, only the world has stopped looking.”

Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 68,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 170,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The United Nations regards these figures as credible. Most of the victims are women and children.

Renewed Bombardment in Rafah

In Rafah, Israeli air raids and artillery fire continued into the night. Local authorities said residential areas and shelters were hit without warning. The Civil Defense agency reported that 11 Palestinians, including children and people seeking refuge in a school, were killed.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the military to “act forcefully against terrorist targets.” Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, rejected the accusation, saying it had “no connection to any events in Rafah” and that communication with its remaining units there had been lost since March.

The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, a vital lifeline for humanitarian aid, remains closed. Israel said it would not reopen until Hamas fulfills what it calls “obligations” under the ceasefire. Palestinian officials accused Israel of using the crossing as leverage to tighten its siege and deepen the humanitarian crisis.

The UN and international aid groups warn that famine-like conditions persist across Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people face severe hunger and disease. While some aid has entered through other crossings, humanitarian organizations say the amount is far from sufficient.

“The closure of Rafah means no medicine, no clean water, no fuel,” said a local doctor in Deir al-Balah. “We are treating the wounded with bare hands.”

Hamas said Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire since it began, killing dozens of civilians and obstructing the delivery of essential supplies. It also accused Israel of arming rival gangs to destabilize Gaza and undermine Palestinian unity.

Israel claims Hamas has been slow to hand over the bodies of deceased hostages. Hamas insists it has released all 20 living hostages and returned 12 of the 28 dead, saying that recovering the rest requires heavy machinery to dig through rubble caused by Israeli strikes.

Uncertain Path Ahead

The renewed violence has raised fears that the U.S.-brokered truce could collapse entirely. Many Palestinians, weary from years of siege and bombardment, say they have little faith that Israel will honor the agreement.

On Sunday night, residents in Khan Younis and central Gaza reported panic and new waves of displacement as airstrikes continued. Families gathered their belongings and fled in search of safer ground, though few places remain untouched.

“The ceasefire exists only on paper,” said a displaced teacher sheltering in a school in Deir al-Balah. “Israel decides when there’s peace and when there’s war. For us, there is no difference anymore.”