News Digest — 10/20/25
Trump: The Gaza Ceasefire Is Still In Effect
US President Donald Trump was asked by a reporter on board Air Force One on Sunday night (19th) whether the Gazan ceasefire is still in effect, and replied, “Yes it is.”
“We want to make sure it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas and, as you know, they’ve been quite rambunctious,” he added,
They’ve been doing some shooting, and we think maybe the leadership isn’t involved in that. You know some rebels within. But either way, it’s going to be handled properly. It’s going to be handled roughly but properly.” Trump stated.
The President’s comments came after Hamas fired an anti-tank missile towards an IDF engineering vehicle, killing two soldiers in violation of the ceasefire.
In response to the violation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the IDF to suspend humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Later, however, Israel announced that it would renew the supply of humanitarian aid there.
While Hamas released the 20 living hostages it had been holding in accordance with Trump’s plan for Gaza, it has stalled on returning the bodies of deceased hostages and has claimed it does not know where most of the bodies are located.
IDF Identifies Two Soldiers Killed In Gaza Ceasefire Breach
The two Israeli soldiers killed Sunday (19th) in Rafah, when Palestinian terrorists opened fire in defiance of a ceasefire, were identified as Maj. Yaniv Kula, 26, a company commander in the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion, and Staff Sgt. Itay Yaveta, 21, a combat soldier in the brigade’s Erez program. Both were from Modi’in.
The incident marked the deadliest breach of the Truce since it began earlier this month and prompted an immediate Israeli response.
A reserve combat engineer also was seriously wounded, and his family was notified. In a separate incident nearby, two additional soldiers were moderately wounded.
According to the IDF, three separate firefights erupted simultaneously in the Rafah area around 10:30 in the morning. Terrorists reportedly emerged from a tunnel, where they had apparently been trapped, and fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF engineering vehicle. The 932nd Battalion team had been conducting a tunnel search and demolition operation when the missile hit, killing Kula and Kavetz and wounding the reservist.
Moments later, another terrorist squad opened sniper fire at a second engineering vehicle, wounding two soldiers. A third round of sniper fire was reported minutes afterward, though no additional casualties occurred. The IDF said 38 soldiers from Modi’in have been killed since the start of the war, and the total number of Israeli military fatalities has now reached 918.
Friday’s (17th) incident was the second major breach of the weeklong ceasefire. On Friday (17th), terrorists emerged from tunnels in both Khan Younis and Rafah, attacking Israeli forces before being killed by return fire.
Under current ceasefire rules, Israeli troops along the buffer zones are operating under strict engagement limitations, and allowed to open fire only when armed suspects directly threaten them. Distant sightings of armed Hamas members, even through drones or binoculars, are not grounds for engagement. Israeli security officials estimate roughly 7,000 Hamas operatives have redeployed throughout Gaza to reassert control over civilian areas, after the withdrawal of Israeli ground forces.
The incidents come as implementation continues on US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza’s postwar stabilization. The next phase – still under negotiation — includes further Israeli withdrawals beyond the so-called “yellow line,” eventually transferring control to an international demilitarization force. About 200 US troops are expected to deploy to Israel to monitor the process, with Vice President J. D. Vance, scheduled to visit in the coming week.
Under US Pressure, Netanyahu Says Gaza Crossings Will Reopen For Aid When Hamas’ Bombing Ceases
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified on Sunday evening (19th) that entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza will only continue when Hamas stops its “massive bombings” and continues to release slain hostages, following what an Israeli source described as pressure exerted by the United States.
Earlier on Sunday (19th), Netanyahu decided to pause the entry of humanitarian aid and close all crossings into the Gaza Strip following violations of the cease fire agreement by Hamas, which included an incident in Rafah in which two IDF soldiers were killed.
In addition, Israel will not allow pedestrian movement into or out of Gaza through the Rafah Crossing, Netanyahu initially said. The decision came alongside a new wave of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza – the most extensive since the agreement to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and a partial Israeli withdrawal.
The US administration has urged Israel to exercise restraint in its response to avoid the collapse of the ceasefire, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post, as a result Israel’s eventual reaction was significantly more moderate than some of the options discussed in Sunday’s (19th) deliberations.
The US administration also issued a statement warning Hamas against killing Palestinians, who oppose its rule, threatening consequences if such attacks continue. “We have received information that the organization plans to launch assaults against Palestinian civilians. This would constitute a serious violation of the agreement, and steps will be taken to protect the residents of Gaza,” the US State Department said in a statement, following the release of Hamas videos showing the execution of anti-Hamas activists and clan members who aided Israel during the war.
Qatar And Turkey Want To Rebuild Hamas, Not Reconstruct Gaza – Khaled Abu Toameh
In addition to Iran, Qatar and Turkey have long been sponsoring and funding Hamas and providing the terror group’s leaders with shelter. In the time-honored tradition of Arab politeness, these countries may well be telling Trump what he would like to hear – secure in the knowledge that in three years, he will be off their backs. Meanwhile, they will have positioned themselves comfortably in Gaza.
A senior Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) officer told Ynet: “Qatar and certainly Turkey must not have a foothold in Gaza again. The UAE, Egypt and Jordan hate Hamas…. Qatar is the one that funded Hamas in the years leading up to October 7…. Qatar and Turkey are both Muslim Brotherhood members who support Hamas.” Qatar has transferred $1.8 billion to Hamas over the past two decades.”
Documents seized by the IDF reveal Qatar’s intensive collaboration with Hamas spanning years, including attempts to thwart regional peace efforts by the US, marginalize Egyptian influence in Gaza, and bolster the roles of Turkey and Iran. The documents revealed that Qatari intelligence officials met with a Hamas representative to discuss supervising special training units for Hamas fighters on military bases in Qatar and Turkey.
It is laughable – and dangerous – to assume that under their current rulers, Qatar and Turkey would ever play a positive and constructive role in ensuring peace and stability in the Middle East. Qatar and Turkey are not interested in the reconstruction of Gaza. Instead, they are interested in rebuilding Hamas’ military and civilian capabilities and ensuring that the terror group, perhaps in some rebranded form, remains in power.
The Writer, a veteran Israeli journalist, is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.
Palestinian Deradicalization Is Essential For Peace – Dr. Dan Diker
The first principle of the US plan for ending the Gaza war – “Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone” – reveals the central contradiction that has haunted every peace initiative since Oslo. The plan begins with deradicalization. Three decades of failed peacemaking should have taught us that ideology precedes everything else in the Middle East.
Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza was heralded as a test case for Palestinian self-governance and territorial compromise. Instead, by 2007 Hamas violently seized control, transforming Gaza into a forward base for Iranian-backed terror operations. Oct. 7 did not occur due to the absence of a Palestinian state: It occurred precisely because there was a de facto Palestinian state in Gaza.
The ideological structure underlying any Palestinian entity remains fundamentally based on jihad and the cancellation of Israel. That cancerous indoctrination is inherent in the Palestinian collective mindset and institutional framework.
Creating a Palestinian state now will inflame radicalization, not diminish it. Hamas had an 18-year period to radicalize an entire generation in Gaza. The Palestinian Authority’s “pay to slay” program – disbursing more than $300 million annually to terrorists and their families – continues to this day. The PLO Charter explicitly calls for preparing younger generations ideologically and practically for armed struggle.
Changing ideology takes generations. Until Western policymakers understand this elemental truth about the Middle East, we will continue cycling through failed initiatives.
The writer is president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.
Government Approves: Israel To Open Embassy In Estonia
The Israeli government on Sunday morning (19th ) unanimously approved a proposal by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to appoint Amit Gil-Beiz as Israel’s Ambassador to Estonia, parallel to the planned opening of a new Israeli embassy in Tallinn this coming November.
This marks a significant diplomatic step in the Baltic region. Israel and Estonia have maintained diplomatic relations since 1992, and Estonia has operated an embassy in Israel since 2009.
Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, Foreign Minister Sa’ar stated: “Estonia is a friendly country to Israel, in which, in my opinion, there should have been an Israeli embassy opened a long time ago. It is a country which excels in innovation, digital technology, and advanced technology. Establishing an embassy in Tallinn is part of a broader process that I am leading to strengthen ties with the Baltic states.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed the decision, calling it “the right decision and in a positive and important direction.” He added that there is potential to deepen cooperation between the countries in various fields, “such as in the field of artificial intelligence.”
Additionally the Cabinet approved the appointment of Tzori Siso as Israel’s new Consul General in Miami, following the approval last month by the Appointments Committee.
Israel’s Life Expectancy Rises to 83.8 Years, Fourth Highest In The World
Israel’s life expectancy has risen sharply, placing the country among the world’s healthiest nations, according to new data released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Ministry of Health.
“Israel manages to have one of the highest life expectancies in the world, with far less public spending than most European countries,” said Dr. Asher Shalmon, Director of the International Relations Division at the Ministry of Health.
The country invests just 7.6% of its GDP in health, compared to Germany’s 12.3%, France’s 11.5% and Sweden’s 11.3%, Yet it boasts low infant mortality and some of the lowest heart disease and preventable death rates in the OECD.
According to the OECD data, life expectancy in Israel increased dramatically between 2022 and 2023 — rising nearly a full year for both men and women.
Women now live an average of 85.7 years, up from 84.8, while men’s life expectancy climbed from 80.7 to 81.7 years.
This jump, described as “extraordinary” by the report, was recorded in only a handful of countries, including the United States, Greece, and the Czech Republic.
Unlike many other OECD members that saw sharp declines during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a rebound, Israel experienced only a moderate drop.
The recent increase therefore reflects a genuine improvement rather than a simple recovery.
The country’s infant mortality rate also remains among the lowest in the OECD, standing at just 2,7 deaths per 100,000 live births.
The Ministry of Health attributed this achievement to “focused investment in increasing public awareness and promoting access to genetic testing,” noting that the rise has been steadily declining for over a decade.
Israel also ranks second, after Switzerland, in preventable mortality–recording just 134 deaths per 100,000 people.
That figure marks a significant decline from 170 deaths in 2010, reflecting improvements in public health, early intervention, and emergency care.
Heart disease deaths have likewise fallen steadily since 2015, with the current rate at only 49.4 deaths per 100,000 people – among the lowest in the OECD.
Vaccination rates remain high as well, exceeding 90% for measles and other routine immunizations, though the Ministry was warned of a global downward trend that Israel is working to counter.
Still, health challenges persist. The report points to smoking as a major concern, with 16.1% of Israelis identified as smokers – contributing to roughly 8,000 deaths annually.
While the rate has declined modestly over the past decade, the drop has been slower and less consistent than in many other OECD countries.
Dr. Shalmon said the findings highlight both achievement and urgency. “The data illustrates what we see every day – excellence achieved despite resource constraints,” he said.
“We are not complacent. The report is a call to continue strengthening infrastructure, investing in human resources, and deepening cooperation with OECD countries. Our health system is a source of national pride and an engine for international health diplomacy, and we intend to preserve and strengthen these achievements for the sake of public health in Israel.”
