Ceasefire still in effect despite deadly attack in Gaza: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has claimed that the ceasefire is still in effect despite the new Israeli attack on Gaza that killed at least 45 people. In his words, “the ceasefire in Gaza is still in effect.”

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday (October 19), Trump said that the ceasefire between the two sides is still in effect despite the Israeli attack on Hamas. He said that Israel’s recent operation was not in response to a ceasefire violation, but rather to the actions of some “insurgent attackers.”

The Israeli military claimed that its soldiers were attacked, to which it responded by raiding Hamas positions in Gaza. However, the ceasefire was later re-imposed. According to the Hamas-controlled Civil Defense Organization in Gaza, at least 45 people were killed in the Israeli attack.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that they were still verifying the casualties.

Trump said, “We want to make sure that this ceasefire continues peacefully. The Hamas leadership may not have been directly involved in this attack, but some rebels may have been involved.”

He also said that the ceasefire agreement brokered by him is still in effect and that the United States is monitoring the implementation of this agreement.

Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance told reporters that the recent violence in Gaza was “not a big deal” but rather a “normal fluctuation” in the ceasefire. Vance said, “This creates the greatest opportunity for sustainable peace, but there will still be ups and downs. We have to monitor the situation.”

It is worth noting that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on October 10 after two years of fierce war. On October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a major attack on Israel, Israeli forces launched a massive operation in Gaza in response. More than 68,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war so far, and much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble.

The peace deal brokered by Trump includes prisoner and hostage exchanges, the reconstruction of Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas. However, implementation has faced challenges.

“The Gulf states need to create a security framework to disarm Hamas,” Vance said. “But that hasn’t happened yet.”

A senior Trump administration official will visit Israel in the coming days to assess the situation, Vice President Vance said. The official’s name has not yet been released.