Israel ramps up Gaza strikes, undermining Trump-backed ceasefire plan

Since the announcement of a second-stage ceasefire roadmap last week, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have surged, killing at least 19 Palestinians on Saturday and bringing the weekend total to 26, among them women and children. President Donald Trump praised Hamas’s acceptance of a phased disarmament as a major step toward stability, but Israel’s government insists on complete demilitarisation and rejects any Palestinian involvement in the process, citing “serious security concerns.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, represented by spokesperson Doron Spielman, has made clear that Israeli forces will not pull back until Hamas is fully disarmed, a position analysts say is driven by the looming October 27 elections. Palestinian political analyst Eyad al-Qarra warned that continued Israeli attacks could push other factions away from the agreement, while experts Mtanes Shehadeh and Ahmed al-Hila described the Israeli stance as a tactical maneuver to maintain pressure on Gaza without overtly rejecting the roadmap.

Israel has also objected to the participation of Qatar and Turkiye in the verification mechanisms, seeking to diminish regional diplomatic support for Hamas. The escalation threatens to undermine the Trump-endorsed peace plan and exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.