Cairo/Jerusalem, October 14, 2025: Israel has delayed humanitarian aid deliveries and kept Gaza’s border closed, citing Hamas’s failure to swiftly hand over the bodies of Israeli hostages, officials said on Tuesday. The move casts further doubt on U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan aimed at ending the two-year conflict.
According to Israeli officials, the reopening of the Rafah border crossing to Egypt—initially planned this week—has been postponed at least until Wednesday. Hamas has so far delivered only four coffins of Israeli hostages, while 23 remain missing.
Meanwhile, Hamas fighters have reappeared across Gaza following Israel’s partial troop withdrawal. Videos shared online showed armed men executing seven alleged collaborators in Gaza City, signalling the group’s renewed grip on the enclave. Palestinian sources reported dozens killed in clashes between Hamas and rival factions in recent days.
The U.S.-backed ceasefire, which halted a devastating war that began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, remains fragile. Israeli drone and air strikes on Tuesday killed at least six people near Gaza City and Khan Younis. Hamas accused Israel of violating the truce, while Israel said its forces fired on individuals who breached the truce lines.
Humanitarian agencies report only limited aid reaching Gaza, where famine conditions persist and much of the territory lies in ruins. UNICEF said tents, winter clothing, and hygiene kits are entering the enclave but called for a major scale-up of assistance.
Trump, who declared the “dawn of a new Middle East” during his visit to Israel’s parliament this week, has endorsed Hamas’s temporary role in maintaining order. However, Israel maintains that the conflict cannot end until Hamas is disarmed and removed from power.
