GAZA CITY, Palestine: Israeli attacks have killed at least 93 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since the US-brokered ceasefire came into effect on 11 October, Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Saturday, adding that a further 324 people have been wounded in the period.
The ministry said 19 of the dead arrived at Gaza hospitals in the past 48 hours, along with seven injured. The health ministry said that at least 68,519 people have been killed and 170,382 wounded since 7 October 2023, calling the figures the result of a “two-year” campaign.
Though the ceasefire has largely halted the large-scale Israeli bombardment campaign, the ministry and local hospitals continued to report fresh casualties from air strikes and shelling across the Palestinian enclave.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that a child was seriously wounded by Israeli fire northwest of Rafah, and two people were wounded in an air strike on a civilian vehicle in Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis.
Al-Awda hospital in central Gaza also reported a casualty shot by Israeli soldiers, local media said.
Israel’s military said its forces carried out strikes after coming under attack and that operations were aimed at eliminating threats to its troops; it also said it had reinforced the ceasefire afterwards.
UN warns of deepening humanitarian crisis
The United Nations has warned that at least 1.5 million people in Gaza urgently require “emergency assistance”, with returning residents describing vast destruction and shortages of food, water and other basic needs, Al Jazeera reported, citing UN assessments.
Separate analysis by AFP of UN data concluded Gaza is buried under more than 61 million tonnes of rubble after two years of war, with large volumes possibly contaminated.
UN has ‘stopped working’
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticised international institutions on Saturday, saying the UN and other multilateral bodies had “stopped working” and failed to protect Gaza’s victims.
Lula made the remarks after meeting Malaysia’s prime minister and ahead of a regional summit. He asked, rhetorically, “Who can accept the genocide that has been going on in the Gaza Strip for so long?” — comments reported by Al Jazeera.
Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the United States and other countries to press Israel to stop violating the ceasefire, suggesting possible sanctions or an arms-sales halt if violations continue.
Erdogan said Hamas had been adhering to the ceasefire and called for international action to ensure Israel’s compliance, his office said.
Political and diplomatic developments
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a visit to Israel, said Washington would not accept a role for Hamas in Gaza’s future governance and asserted that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, “is not going to play any role” in aid delivery — echoing Israeli allegations that the agency is compromised.
UNRWA rejected the claims and said it remained “vital” to humanitarian operations; the agency pointed to a ruling by the International Court of Justice upholding its essential role.
UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq also defended UNRWA, saying it was not linked to Hamas.
In Washington, Rubio pledged efforts to return the remains of deceased hostages still held in Gaza, after meetings with families of captives.
We will not forget the lives of the hostages who died in the captivity of Hamas. Today I met with the families of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra. We will not rest until their — and all — remains are returned. pic.twitter.com/wdxN9vLXZ8
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) October 25, 2025
Under the ceasefire arrangements, all 20 living hostages were freed and remains of 15 deceased hostages returned to Israel, while the bodies of 13 others reportedly remain in Gaza; in exchange Israel released nearly 2,000 prisoners.
Palestinian factions agree interim administration for Gaza
Main Palestinian factions, including Hamas, said they had accepted the formation of an independent technocratic committee to run post-war Gaza temporarily.
A joint statement on the Hamas website said the committee would manage basic services “in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions” and called for unity to confront future challenges and to revitalise the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the single legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, UNRWA has urged authorities to allow it to resume full humanitarian operations in Gaza.
Jonathan Fowler, the agency’s senior communications manager, told the BBC that the International Court of Justice had made clear that what Israeli authorities were doing ran counter to obligations under international law and that UNRWA must be permitted to carry out its work.
The agency said accountability and access were essential to meet urgent needs across the territory.
