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🇮🇱 Israel - 🇵🇸 Gaza • Ceasefire hangs in the balance after new Israeli strikes
Nine days after it came into effect, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is hanging by a thread. Yesterday, the Israeli army carried out dozens of strikes on the Gaza Strip, accusing the Palestinian Islamist movement of violating the truce. Hamas denies this. The toll: at least 45 Palestinians killed yesterday, four today, and two Israeli soldiers killed.
According to the IDF, several Hamas attacks targeted its forces in Rafah and areas under Israeli control, including a grenade launcher and sniper fire. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his army to "act with force" against "terrorist" targets. In Jerusalem, far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich summed up the government's position in one word on X: "War!"
Hamas denies any attack. Its armed wing claims to be "applying the ceasefire agreement" and accuses Israel of being the real violator. The movement denounces strikes that have hit displaced civilians in central Gaza, particularly in Al-Zawaida and Nuseirat. Among the victims are several women and children, as well as a journalist.
In the evening, Israel suspended the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza "until further notice," making the reopening of the Rafah border crossing conditional on the return of all the bodies of Israeli hostages still being held. Hamas claims that the closure is preventing searches under the rubble to find the remains.
Since the truce agreement on October 10, Hamas has released the last 20 living hostages but only 12 of the 28 bodies promised. This persistent disagreement fuels mistrust and undermines the mediation efforts led by Washington, Cairo, and Doha.
US President Donald Trump, however, insists that the ceasefire "remains in effect." He refers to "isolated rebels" from Hamas as being responsible for the attacks, while threatening the movement with "measures" if it kills "more civilians." Washington had already warned the day before that it had "credible information" about an imminent attack by Hamas.
In a territory drained of life after two years of war, tensions are rising again. Hamas is attempting to reassert its control by executing alleged collaborators, while Israel promises to "respond firmly to any violation."
IN SHORT
🇮🇱 Israel - 🇵🇸 Palestine - At least 135 mutilated bodies of Palestinians have been found in the Israeli prison of Sde Teiman. The remains were reportedly kept in poor conditions before being returned to their families, some showing signs of severe injury and torture. This discovery has fueled anger over the treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention centers, which have already been criticized for human rights violations during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
🇺🇸 United States - 🇨🇴 Colombia - A US strike carried out yesterday in the Caribbean against a boat affiliated with the ELN group killed three passengers, fueling tension between Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro. Trump accused Petro of promoting drug production and announced the end of payments and subsidies to Colombia. In response to these attacks, Colombia is threatening to file a complaint over the deaths of a fisherman and a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. Trump has also promised to increase tariffs on Colombian products, while Petro is bringing his country closer to China to support its economy.
🇾🇪 Yemen - 20 United Nations employees, including UNICEF chief Peter Hawkins, have been detained by the Houthis in Sanaa in recent days. The arrests, which took place without official explanation, affect several UN agencies and coincide with heightened tensions in the Yemeni capital. These mass detentions are causing concern among the humanitarian community as the conflict continues and access to aid remains limited. The fate of those detained remains uncertain, heightening concerns about the safety of international personnel in Yemen.
🇺🇦 Ukraine - 🇺🇸 United States - 🇷🇺 Russia - Volodymyr Zelensky has requested the delivery of 25 additional Patriot defense systems from Washington, emphasizing that Ukraine is negotiating a contract to strengthen its protection against Russian air strikes. During their latest meeting at the White House on Friday, Donald Trump pushed Zelensky to accept a truce along the current front lines and aligned himself with Vladimir Putin's position, which demands territorial concessions from Kyiv. Despite what was described as a tense discussion, the Ukrainian side did not obtain any American promises for long-range missiles, with Trump believing that a rapid cessation of fighting is preferable.
🇪🇺 European Union - Member states have approved a plan to gradually ban Russian gas imports by 2028, marking a new step in their response to the war in Ukraine. This measure, supported by a traceability system, aims to deprive Moscow of an estimated €15 billion in annual revenue.
🇪🇺 European Union - 🇷🇺 Russia - The EU has proposed new bilateral agreements with flags of convenience to allow the boarding of Russian ships in the "ghost fleet," suspected of sabotage in the Baltic Sea and circumventing sanctions. More than 600 vessels, often dilapidated, expose European coasts to environmental and security risks. Already, 444 ships have been sanctioned, a figure that is set to rise with the adoption of a new package of sanctions. The EU wants to strengthen maritime law and obtain the support of key states such as Panama to limit these practices.
🇸🇩 Sudan - 🇹🇩 Chad - 🇱🇾 Libya - 🇲🇱 Mali - 🇳🇪 Niger - The war in Sudan has revived and restructured arms trafficking in Africa, promoting the proliferation of sophisticated weapons as far as the Sahel, according to a report published today by the NGO Global Initiative. Two channels have been identified: one official, supported by certain states, and one clandestine, operated by criminal networks via Darfur, eastern Chad, and southern Libya. The markets in Chad and Libya have been flooded with modern weapons, such as the DShKM machine gun, which sells for up to $11,400. This trafficking now affects Mali and Niger, benefiting armed groups in the Sahel.
🇧🇴 Bolivia - Rodrigo Paz, the center-right candidate, won the presidential election with 54.6% of the vote against Jorge Quiroga, ending 20 years of socialist government. Faced with a serious economic crisis, the president-elect is advocating "capitalism for all" based on reducing public spending, particularly fuel subsidies, and opening up the private sector. On November 8, he will succeed Luis Arce in a country facing 23% inflation and gasoline and diesel shortages. Without a parliamentary majority, Paz will have to form alliances to govern, while facing opposition from Evo Morales, who remains influential.
🇺🇸 United States - 🇦🇺 Australia - Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese signed an agreement in Washington aimed at strengthening access to Australian minerals and rare earths, reducing US dependence on China. Canberra has announced nearly $8.5 billion in projects, hailing a new milestone in economic and defense cooperation. Australia, which has significant reserves, is seeking to position itself as a strategic supplier for key industries such as technology and energy.
Northern Cyprus - Tufan Erhürman, a social democrat and supporter of reunification with the south, was elected president in the first round with 62% of the vote, comfortably beating the outgoing nationalist Ersin Tatar. Backed by the left and figures from the center-right, Erhürman has emphasized consultation with Turkey. The Turkish head of state has been conciliatory, while ultra-nationalists have deemed the result "unacceptable." This victory marks a setback for nationalists on an island still divided between north and south.
