Across the Gaza Strip, Israeli aircraft and armored units carried out intense bombardments overnight and into Sunday, October 5, 2025, razing numerous residential structures. These devastating strikes occurred as Palestinians anxiously awaited the rollout of a U.S.-backed peace initiative designed to halt the ongoing conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who had previously urged a halt to the aerial assaults, announced on Saturday, October 4, 2025, via his Truth Social platform that Israel had committed to an “initial withdrawal line” within Gaza. He added that a “Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective” once Hamas confirmed its agreement.
This intensified Israeli military activity coincides with Egypt’s preparations to host crucial discussions. Delegates from Hamas, Israel, the U.S., and Qatar are expected to convene, aiming to initiate the implementation of what is considered the most significant peace effort to date in the conflict.
Sensitive Issues
Hamas had previously responded positively to Mr. Trump’s proposal on Friday, October 3, 2025, indicating its acceptance of several core components of his 20-point peace plan. These included provisions for ending the war, an Israeli withdrawal, and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
However, Hamas has signaled that some aspects remain open for further negotiation, leaving critical questions unanswered. Chief among these is whether the group is prepared to disarm, a fundamental demand from Israel to conclude hostilities.
“Progress hinges on Hamas’s acceptance of a map that depicts the Israeli army retaining control over much of the Gaza Strip,” a Palestinian official involved in the discussions, who preferred to remain anonymous, noted. The official added, “Hamas might also demand a firm timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza. This initial phase of talks will be crucial in determining the path forward.”
Meanwhile, in Gaza City, an area Israel identifies as a final stronghold for Hamas, Israeli forces continued their assault. Residents who had evacuated were cautioned against returning, as authorities declared it a “dangerous combat zone.”
Witnesses reported that on Sunday, October 5, 2025, Israeli airstrikes intensified across the city, targeting various locations within Gaza’s largest urban center.
This escalation followed a night of heightened tension, during which drones deployed grenades onto residential rooftops. Ground troops also detonated explosive-laden vehicles, resulting in the demolition of dozens of homes in the Gaza City neighborhoods of Sabra and Sheikh Radwan.
Where is Trump?
Rami Mohammad-Ali, a 37-year-old resident displaced from Gaza City to its western beachfront, voiced his frustration: “Where is Trump in all of this? The explosions are relentless, drones are dropping bombs everywhere, as if no peace plan exists. What happened to the truce Trump spoke of?”
According to local health authorities, at least one Palestinian lost their life, and several others sustained injuries during these attacks. Medics also reported that three additional individuals were killed in separate Israeli strikes throughout the besieged enclave.
Amjad Al-Shawa, who leads the Palestinian NGOs Network (a liaison with the United Nations and various international humanitarian groups), stated that Gaza City is facing severe scarcities of food and fuel. This critical situation developed days after Israel obstructed the primary route connecting the south to the north.
Mr. Shawa informed Reuters, “We are talking about tens of thousands of children suffering from malnutrition, and elderly individuals requiring specialized care. These vulnerable populations are now in grave danger due to the Israeli occupation’s blockade of Gaza City and and the intensifying attacks.”
A central tenet of Mr. Trump’s plan stipulated that all Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, were to be released within 72 hours following Israel’s public acceptance of the agreement.
However, the exact commencement of this 72-hour deadline remained ambiguous, particularly as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to the timeframe days prior to Hamas’s response. Currently, Israel reports that 48 hostages are still held, with 20 confirmed to be alive.
Logistical hurdles are also anticipated. Sources close to Hamas conveyed to Reuters that while the release of living hostages might be relatively simple, recovering the bodies of deceased individuals amidst Gaza’s extensive devastation and debris could require more than just a few days.
On Friday, October 3, 2025, Mr. Trump expressed his conviction that Hamas had demonstrated its “readiness for a lasting PEACE,” and he urged Mr. Netanyahu’s government to cease airstrikes in Gaza.
Domestically, Mr. Netanyahu faces a difficult predicament, caught between increasing pressure to end the conflict from hostage families and a war-fatigued populace, and the firm demands of hardline coalition members who advocate for no pause in Israel’s Gaza campaign. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, for example, publicly declared on X that ceasing attacks on Gaza would be a “grave mistake.”
Israel initiated its offensive in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and the capture of 251 hostages, as per Israeli figures. Gaza health authorities report that Israel’s subsequent campaign has led to over 67,000 deaths in Gaza, mostly civilians, leaving the enclave utterly devastated.