KEY POINTS
- Israeli air strikes hit southern Gaza, killing at least two people despite the ceasefire.
- 236 Palestinians killed and 600 injured in Israeli attacks since truce began on Oct 10.
- Muslim foreign ministers meet in Istanbul to push for strict truce implementation.
- Erdogan accuses Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire.
- Israel returns 45 Palestinian bodies under the truce exchange deal
GAZA CITY, Palestine: Israeli air strikes hit several areas in southern Gaza on Monday, killing at least two people, as Muslim foreign ministers gathered in Istanbul to discuss ways to strictly implement the US-brokered fragile ceasefire.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 236 Palestinians have been killed and more than 600 injured since the US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect on October 10.
The latest Israeli attacks targeted eastern Khan Younis and Deir el-Balah, while Israeli gunboats shelled the coastline near Nuseirat refugee camp.
Medical sources at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, cited by Al Jazeera, said one Palestinian man was killed and another wounded by Israeli drone fire.
The Gaza Government Media Office accused Israel of committing more than 125 violations of the ceasefire agreement, including air and artillery strikes and the use of quadcopter drones to drop grenades on partially destroyed buildings.
Meanwhile, foreign ministers from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Indonesia gathered in Istanbul to discuss the ceasefire’s implementation and the next steps for Gaza’s reconstruction.
The meeting, chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, follows consultations with US President Donald Trump, who brokered the current truce.
A senior Turkish foreign ministry source told Reuters that Fidan would call for “swift arrangements enabling Palestinians to assume responsibility for Gaza’s security and administration” and stress “coordinated action by Muslim countries for the ceasefire to evolve into lasting peace.”
Erdogan slams Israel over ceasefire breaches
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly criticised Israel’s “poor record” on observing the ceasefire, saying Hamas appeared “more determined” to uphold the truce.
“We are facing an administration that has massacred over 200 innocent people since the ceasefire agreement and continues its occupation and attacks on the West Bank,” Erdogan said, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
He urged Muslim countries to lead Gaza’s reconstruction and rejected any Israeli attempt to change the status of Jerusalem or the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Erdogan, speaking at a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) economic committee, said the Arab League–OIC reconstruction plan for Gaza “should be implemented immediately” and warned that Israel was “doing everything in its power to block” humanitarian and rebuilding efforts.
Bodies exchanged under ceasefire deal
On Monday, Israel returned the bodies of 45 Palestinians to Gaza under the ongoing exchange mechanism agreed in the ceasefire deal, raising the total number of Palestinian bodies returned to 270.
Hamas had earlier handed over the remains of three Israeli soldiers—Colonel Assaf Hamami, Captain Omer Neutra and Staff Sergeant Oz Daniel—to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The arrangement, brokered under Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, stipulates that Israel will return 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli captive handed over by Hamas.
Hamas said the process of locating and recovering remains is being delayed by “massive destruction” in Gaza, and has asked mediators to provide equipment for the search.
Israel has accused Hamas of “dragging its feet” in fulfilling the terms of the deal, which also involves the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 20 surviving Israeli captives — a swap that was completed last week.
Pakistan urges full Israeli withdrawal
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is attending the Istanbul meeting, where he will call for “full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territory, especially Gaza.”
In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Dar will emphasise the urgency of providing “unfettered humanitarian assistance to Palestinians” and ensuring Gaza’s reconstruction under Palestinian-led administration.
DPM/FM Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 has arrived in Istanbul to participate in a meeting hosted by H.E. Hakan Fidan @HakanFidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, to discuss the recent developments in Gaza.
Upon arrival the DPM/FM was received by Director General… pic.twitter.com/aOnV17t67V
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 3, 2025
Aid still falling short
Humanitarian agencies say that while aid has begun entering Gaza since the truce, it remains far below the needs of the displaced population.
Many families at distribution centres in Khan Younis told Al Jazeera they had received only basic food items such as rice and canned beans, insufficient for their needs.
“We received this box of aid, but it’s not enough to feed us,” said Nermeen Tramsi, a displaced woman from Gaza City.
“If you compare this to the aid coming in, it’s nothing. A family needs more than just beans and rice.”
Hospitals in the enclave remain overwhelmed, with thousands of critically ill patients, including 4,000 children, awaiting medical evacuation.
The Rafah crossing with Egypt remains closed, and Israel has refused to reopen it until all Israeli remains are returned under the terms of the truce.
Trump defends ceasefire deal
In an interview with CBS 60 Minutes, US President Donald Trump described the ceasefire as “very solid” despite reports of Israeli violations.
“It’s not fragile,” he said. “If Hamas doesn’t behave, they can be taken out immediately.”
EXTENDED INTERVIEW: President Donald Trump’s extended interview with 60 Minutes’ @NorahODonnell. pic.twitter.com/wFlalC5Spq
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 3, 2025
Under Trump’s Gaza plan, an international stabilisation force composed mainly of troops from Arab and Muslim nations is expected to deploy in Gaza to support Palestinian police and oversee the transition to self-governance.
