US President Donald Trump affirmed Israel's prerogative to respond militarily to aggression from Hamas, even as a fragile ceasefire agreement remained nominally in effect as of October 29, 2025. Speaking to reporters while en route from Japan to South Korea, Trump asserted that the Jewish state was justified in launching retaliatory action following reports that Hamas fighters had killed Israeli soldiers. He characterized the militant group as a minor faction in the broader Middle East peace landscape, suggesting their removal from the operational field would be straightforward if they failed to honor established accords.
This declaration followed escalating tensions stemming from alleged breaches of the truce brokered on October 13. The Palestinian Authority (PAX) reported that Israeli forces executed more than 30 strikes across the Gaza Strip targeting positions affiliated with 'terrorist organizations' on the same day, framing the action as a direct consequence of Hamas non-compliance. The conflict's current phase traces back to the devastating Hamas incursion and rocket barrage against Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the capture of around 250 hostages.
The ceasefire, established during the 'Summit for Peace' in Sharm El Sheikh on October 13, stipulated that Hamas was to relinquish control and disarm, though reports indicated some hostages remained in captivity. Israeli military actions were reportedly authorized by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following consultations, with the Israeli Ministry of Health (SMH) confirming air strikes in the southern Gaza sector and Gaza City on October 28. According to Mahmoud Bassal, a representative for the Hamas control body in Gaza, these exchanges led to the deaths of over 101 individuals, including 35 minors. This situation was further complicated by previously reported truce violations on October 19 and October 25.
The long-term human cost of the conflict remains staggering, with Israeli military figures indicating that since the ground operation commenced, over 68,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 170,000 wounded in the Gaza Strip sector. The international community continues to monitor the stability of the truce, which is severely tested by these reciprocal actions. A key diplomatic challenge lies in differing interpretations of compliance; while the PAX frames Israeli strikes as responses to Hamas violations, the premise of Trump's statement centered on Hamas's initial breach of the truce terms by killing soldiers.
A recent analysis from the International Crisis Group highlighted that the breakdown of previous ceasefires often stems from a mutual lack of confidence in the other side's commitment to disarming or halting hostilities, a pattern that appears to be repeating following the October 13 agreement. Furthermore, UN OCHA reported on October 27 that humanitarian access into Gaza remained critically insufficient to meet escalating needs, underscoring the severe secondary impact of any renewed escalation. The core question remains whether the diplomatic framework established at Sharm El Sheikh can withstand the pressure of immediate military justifications cited by both primary belligerents.
