Question: Since President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu announced a ceasefire deal and 20-point(this link opens in a new window) plan for Gaza on September 29, Israel has continued to carry out attacks and maintained restrictions on food and other aid entering Gaza, violating its commitments(this link opens in a new window) under the deal. How would you describe the situation on the ground in Gaza today?
Jehad Abusalim: The situation on the ground in Gaza remains devastating. While a ceasefire was announced, there has been no meaningful improvement in the daily lives of Palestinians. Israel has continued to carry out attacks, killing over 200 people since the ceasefire supposedly took effect—including 104 in the past 24 hours alone, including 46 children(this link opens in a new window). Aid remains severely restricted. Only limited supplies have entered, and much of the population is still without access to enough food, clean water, medicine, or proper shelter. Many victims remain trapped under the rubble, as no heavy equipment has been allowed in to aid rescue or reconstruction efforts.
The health sector has collapsed. Hospitals are barely functioning, doctors are overwhelmed, and patients are dying from treatable injuries and illnesses. Unexploded ordinances scattered across neighborhoods continue to pose a lethal threat to civilians.
While global attention has focused on the recovery of Israeli hostage remains, Palestinians in Gaza are still living through the core realities of genocide—ongoing blockade, displacement, destruction, and the constant threat of renewed bombardment. What we’re witnessing is not a transition to peace, but the continuation of violence in a slightly altered form/scale, with the ever-present risk of escalation back to mass killing, as we saw on Tuesday. ….more
