One year after Gaza ceasefire, strikes continue and reconstruction remains stalled

The first phase stopped full-scale war but later phases stalled

The October 10, 2025 ceasefire stopped Israel's full-scale military campaign in Gaza, enabled the return of the remaining Israeli hostages and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and increased humanitarian aid. Those were consequential gains for families on both sides. The agreement did not, however, resolve the war's central political and security questions. [1][2]

One year later, the later phases remain largely unimplemented: Israeli withdrawal has not occurred, Hamas has not disarmed, an international stabilization force has not been assembled, a proposed Palestinian technocratic administration has not entered Gaza, and large-scale reconstruction has barely begun. AP and Reuters describe incompatible sequencing demands rather than an agreed path through those obligations. [1][2]

The ceasefire has not stopped lethal attacks

AP and Reuters reported that Gaza health authorities recorded more than 1,400 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire, while Israel's military reported five soldiers killed. The Gaza ministry does not distinguish civilians from combatants in its total. Israel says many of its strikes answered violations or targeted Hamas members and rearmament; Hamas disputes Israel's account of compliance. Neither side's statement independently establishes every incident. [1][2]

The reviewed sources use different cutoffs and therefore should not be merged. OCHA cited Gaza authorities' 1,431 deaths and 5,026 injuries through September 30; the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights reported 1,445 deaths and 5,072 injuries in early October; Quds News cited 1,471 deaths and 5,189 injuries on October 10. The later figures may reflect additional days, but none provides a complete independently verified civilian-combatant breakdown. [3][6][5]

Later on October 10, Reuters reported that Gaza medical officials initially counted five people killed in Israeli strikes, including four near Panda Mall and one in Tuffah. Al Jazeera English and Arabic later reported seven deaths, including a child, and cited Gaza authorities' cumulative ceasefire-period total of 1,481. The reports use different publication cutoffs and should not be read as two additive incidents. Israel's military said it targeted militants but did not provide incident-specific evidence in the reviewed reporting. [7][8][9]

Territorial control, aid and rebuilding remain unresolved

Reuters reported that Israeli forces now control about 64% to 65% of Gaza, compared with roughly 53% contemplated at the ceasefire's start. OCHA separately said about 65% of the territory remained subject to displacement orders, militarized zones or areas where access required coordination. Those measures are not identical, but both show most of Gaza unavailable for ordinary civilian life and rebuilding. [2][3][5]

Aid totals are contested. Reuters calculated an average of 227 trucks a day through May against a 600-truck daily benchmark in the agreement, while Israel says about 600 trucks enter daily and that supplies are adequate. Humanitarian agencies report persistent restrictions, and Reuters cited food-security analysis estimating more than 1.2 million people in acute hunger. The disagreement makes transparent crossing-level data essential. [2][3]

A proposed $2.45 billion initial rebuilding program remains far below an estimated $71.4 billion in recovery needs, and AP reported virtually no reconstruction beyond debris clearing and temporary repairs. Financing alone cannot resolve where people may rebuild, who will govern, how material enters or how security and accountability will be handled. [1][2]

Nearly two million Palestinians remain exposed to shelter, health and hunger risks

A joint statement from more than 100 humanitarian and rights organizations said nearly two million people need shelter support, no hospital is fully functioning and roughly 1.4 million people face crisis-level hunger or worse. Those are coalition claims assembled from humanitarian datasets, not a judicial finding. OCHA's separate reporting supports the broader emergency, including flood risk, damaged health services, water dependence and access restrictions. [4][3]

The next tests are practical: whether attacks stop, aid reaches civilians at a measurable scale, Israeli forces withdraw, a legitimate Palestinian administration can operate, disarmament and security arrangements gain consent, and reconstruction starts without forced displacement. Israel's October 27 election may affect negotiations, but the reviewed evidence does not support predicting the result or a renewed war. [1][2]

How the sources compare