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Fuel tanker sumabog sa Quezon, driver patay; lima sugatan kabilang ang tatlong bata

Arman B. Cambe
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Fuel tanker sumabog sa Quezon, driver patay; lima sugatan kabilang ang tatlong bata

LUCENA CITY — Nagliyab at sumabog ang isang fuel tanker sa Barangay Malinao Ilaya, Atimonan, Quezon kahapon ng umaga, na ikinasawi ng driver at ikinasugat ng lima pang katao, kabilang ang tatlong mag-aaral sa elementarya.

Ayon kay Police Colonel Romulo Albacea, direktor ng Quezon Police Provincial Office (QPPO), nakilala lamang sa pangalang “Rolando,” taga-Padre Garcia, Batangas, ang nasunog at namatay na driver ng nasabing fuel tanker.

Batay sa imbestigasyon ng Atimonan Police, patungo sa Bicol Region ang trak na kargado ng krudo at binabagtas ang pakurbadang bahagi ng Maharlika Highway dakong alas-6:40 ng umaga nang biglang pumalya ang makina. Nawalan umano ng kontrol sa manibela ang driver, dahilan upang sumalpok ang tanker sa kumpol ng putik sa gilid ng kalsada, bago bumangga sa isang nakaparadang sirang truck.

Dahil sa tindi ng impact, tumagilid ang truck at muling binangga ng tanker ang dalawang tricycle na nakaparada malapit sa lugar. Agad namang nagliyab ang fuel tanker at sumabog, dahilan upang madamay ang dalawang tricycle, isang motorsiklo, at mga punongkahoy sa paligid.

Hindi na nakalabas si Rolando matapos maipit sa loob ng nagliyab na trak at tuluyang nasunog.

Samantala, sugatan naman sina Merkel, isang tricycle driver; tatlong batang pasahero na sina Amethys, 13, residente ng Barangay Malinao Ilaya; Jamela, 11; at Angel, 13, kapwa mula sa Barangay Sta. Catalina; at si Edwin, 58, isa pang tricycle driver mula rin sa Sta. Catalina.

Lahat ng mga sugatan ay agad na isinugod sa iba’t ibang ospital sa Atimonan.

Patuloy ang imbestigasyon ng mga awtoridad upang alamin ang iba pang detalye at sanhi ng pagsabog.

India glows with millions of lamps as Diwali marks victory of light over darkness

Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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India glows with millions of lamps as Diwali marks victory of light over darkness

NEW DELHI — Millions of Indians celebrated Diwali on Monday, as homes, temples, and streets across the country were illuminated with lamps to mark the Hindu festival symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.

Derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, meaning “a row of lights,” Diwali is traditionally observed with social gatherings, gift-giving, and the lighting of earthen lamps. The festival’s date follows the Hindu lunar calendar, usually falling in late October or early November.

Markets across India were filled with shoppers purchasing flowers, lanterns, and candles in preparation for the celebrations.

The most spectacular display took place in Ayodhya, a city in Uttar Pradesh believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of the deity Lord Ram. The lighting of lamps there commemorates his return after 14 years in exile.

As dusk fell on Sunday, over 2.6 million lamps illuminated the banks of the Saryu River, matching last year’s Guinness World Record. Around 2,100 Hindu priests performed prayers simultaneously, their chants resonating across the brightly lit riverfront.

The holy city was adorned with fairy lights, and a laser and fireworks show brightened the skyline. Thousands of residents participated by lighting lamps at their homes and temples.

Authorities reported that more than 33,000 volunteers helped light the lamps. Nearly 40 families from nearby villages produced 1.6 million of them, using an estimated 73,000 liters of oil and 5.5 million cotton wicks.

“It is hard work lighting diyas (oil lamps) one by one,” said 19-year-old volunteer Rachit Singh, his face glowing in the firelight. “But when you see the whole ghat (stairs to the river) light up, every bit of effort feels worth it.”

In the capital, New Delhi, celebrations were tempered by persistent concerns over air pollution. Firecrackers, a traditional part of Diwali festivities, often contribute to dense smog that lingers for days.

On Monday, air quality levels rose sharply, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) reaching 347 on the air quality index about 14 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily maximum according to SAFAR, India’s federal air monitoring agency.

Last week, the Supreme Court relaxed a blanket ban on firecrackers in New Delhi, allowing limited use of “green firecrackers” designed to emit fewer pollutants. Developed by federal research institutions, these eco-friendly versions are said to reduce particulate and gas emissions by about 30%.

The court also specified that firecrackers could only be used during designated hours from Saturday through Tuesday.

Beyond India, Hindus across the world also marked the festival with devotion and joy. In Melbourne, Australia, Indian communities and local Hindus celebrated Diwali with friends and family, sharing traditional foods and holding private light ceremonies to honor the spirit of the festival.

Beyond India, Hindus across the world also marked the festival with devotion and joy.

Thieves rob priceless jewels from Louvre, France vows justice

Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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Thieves rob priceless jewels from Louvre, France vows justice

PARIS — In one of the most audacious art heists in decades, thieves wearing balaclavas broke into Paris’ Louvre Museum on Sunday morning, using a crane to smash an upstairs window before stealing priceless crown jewels and escaping on motorbikes, officials said.

The robbery took place at around 9:30 a.m. (0730 GMT) in the Galerie d’Apollon, home to France’s crown jewels, shortly after the museum had opened to visitors, Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said on BFM TV.

“The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our History,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X. “We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice.”

Beccuau said the operation, carried out by four unarmed individuals, lasted only six to seven minutes. The thieves threatened security guards with angle grinders before fleeing with eight of nine targeted objects. During the escape, they dropped one item — the crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, into the street.

“It’s worth several tens of millions of euros just this crown. And it’s not, in my opinion, the most important item,” said Alexandre Giquello, president of the Drouot auction house.

Beccuau added that it remains unclear why the thieves did not steal the Regent Diamond, one of the museum’s most valuable pieces, estimated by Sotheby’s at over $60 million. “I don’t have an explanation,” she said. “It’ll only be when they’re in custody and face investigators that we’ll know what type of order they had and why they didn’t target that window.”

One of the suspects was reportedly wearing a yellow reflective vest, later recovered by investigators. The group also attempted to set fire to the crane mounted on their truck before escaping, Beccuau said.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that the investigation had been assigned to a specialized police unit known for solving major art and jewelry thefts. “We’re looking at the hypothesis of organized crime,” Beccuau said, suggesting that the robbery may have been commissioned by a private collector or linked to criminal money laundering. “Nowadays, anything can be linked to drug trafficking, given the significant sums of money obtained from drug trafficking.”

The Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum, said on X that it would remain closed for the day for “exceptional reasons.”

Joan and Jim Carpenter, tourists from California, said they were escorted out of a gallery just before viewing the Mona Lisa. “Well, when you rob the Louvre, that’s a big deal to all of France, so I knew something was up because of the way they swept the whole museum,” Joan Carpenter told Reuters.

The Mona Lisa itself was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 in a heist carried out by a former employee. The painting was recovered two years later, becoming one of the most famous thefts in art history.

Earlier this year, Louvre officials sought government funding to restore its aging halls and bolster security for its vast collection. Macron said a new security plan for the museum, announced in January, “provides for strengthened security.”

Culture Minister Rachida Dati said the robbery underscores the need for modernized protection measures. “For 40 years, there was little focus on securing these major museums, and two years ago, the president of the Louvre requested a security audit from the police prefect,” Dati said. “Why? Because museums must adapt to new forms of crime. Today, it’s organized crime professionals.”

Crackdown kontra korapsyon, inilunsad ni Marcos; korapsyon ikalawang malaking alalahanin ng mga Pinoy

Venus L Peñaflor
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Crackdown kontra korapsyon, inilunsad ni Marcos; korapsyon ikalawang malaking alalahanin ng mga Pinoy

MAYNILA— Tiniyak ng Malacañang na tuloy-tuloy at mas pinaigting na ang kampanya ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. laban sa korapsyon, sa gitna ng panawagan ng mga negosyante para sa agarang aksyon sa mga isyung may kinalaman sa mga flood control project.

Ayon kay Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro, nagsasagawa na ng mga hakbang ang Pangulo upang tuldukan ang mga katiwalian sa gobyerno. Kabilang dito ang pagbuo ng Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) na nag-iimbestiga sa mga anomalya sa mga proyektong pang-imprastruktura.

“May ginagawa na ang Pangulo para tuldukan ang korapsyon,” ani Castro, na nagbigay-diin din sa mga pagsisikap ng administrasyon na wakasan ang mga maling gawain sa loob ng pamahalaan.

Dagdag pa ni Castro, ipinag-utos na ng ICI ang pag-freeze sa mga ari-arian ng mga taong sangkot sa naturang anomalya at inirekomenda na ring sampahan ng kaso ang mga ito.

Hinimok din niya ang mga tinawag na “obstructionist” na itigil ang pagsabotahe sa mga repormang ipinatutupad ng administrasyon dahil aniya, hindi ito nakatutulong sa pag-unlad ng ekonomiya.

Ayon kay Castro, nauunawaan ni Pangulong Marcos ang sentimyento ng mga negosyante na nais ng agarang tugon at malinaw na aksyon sa mga kasong may kinalaman sa korapsyon.

Kaugnay nito, lumitaw sa pinakahuling Tugon ng Masa survey ng OCTA Research na ang korapsyon ang itinuturing ngayong ikalawang pangunahing alalahanin ng mga Pilipino.

Batay sa resulta, tumaas ng 18 puntos ang porsyento ng mga Pilipinong nababahala sa isyung ito mula 13% noong Hulyo tungo sa 31% nitong Setyembre na siyang pinakamataas na antas ng pagkabahala sa korapsyon na naitala ng OCTA.

“The sharp rise in corruption concerns indicates a growing public demand for integrity and accountability in government, as Filipinos increasingly turn their attention from just economic concerns to issues of governance,” ayon sa OCTA.

Pinakamataas ang antas ng pagkabahala sa korapsyon sa National Capital Region (NCR) sa 53%, habang pinakamababa ito sa Mindanao sa 18%.

Samantala, nananatiling pangunahing isyu ng mga Pilipino ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin at serbisyo sa 48%, bahagyang bumaba mula 50%. Sumunod ang abot-kayang pagkain sa 31%, sahod sa 27%, at paglikha ng mas maraming trabaho sa 23%.

Ang naturang non-commissioned survey ay isinagawa ng OCTA mula Setyembre 25 hanggang 30 sa 1,200 adult respondents sa pamamagitan ng face-to-face interviews.

Bag ng droga, nakuha sa dagat malapit sa Sabina Shoal

Roy Tomandao
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Bag ng droga, nakuha sa dagat malapit sa Sabina Shoal

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Natagpuan ng Philippine Navy ang isang bag na naglalaman ng hinihinalang ilegal na droga na palutang-lutang sa karagatang sakop ng Sabina Shoal sa West Philippine Sea nitong Sabado.

Ayon sa ulat ng Navy, nakatanggap ng impormasyon noong Biyernes ng gabi ang Maritime Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary Unit–West (MCAAU-W) hinggil sa isang itim na bag na pinaniniwalaang naglalaman ng high-grade marijuana.

Matapos matanggap ang ulat, agad na nakipag-ugnayan ang MCAAU-W sa Western Naval Command ng Philippine Navy, na nag-atas sa BRP Lolinato To-Ong na tumungo sa lugar.

Natagpuan at nabawi ng BRP Lolinato To-Ong at ng MCAAU-W ang naturang bag noong madaling-araw ng Sabado. Isinailalim ito sa kustodiya ng Philippine Navy at ng mga tauhan ng Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) ng Palawan Police Provincial Office (PPO), bago tuluyang isinumite sa Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)–Palawan sa pantalan ng Puerto Princesa City nitong Lunes para sa pagsusuri at wastong disposisyon.

Batay sa paunang ulat ng PDEA, naglalaman ang itim na bag ng 32 transparent at itim na plastik na may kabuuang tinatayang 16 kilo ng hinihinalang high-grade marijuana kush na nagkakahalaga ng humigit-kumulang ₱19.2 milyon.

“PDEA Palawan has since initiated the evaluation, field testing, and official inventory of the seized items, with appropriate disposition procedures now underway,” ayon sa pahayag ng ahensya.

Cargo plane overshoots runway in Hong Kong, 2 airport workers killed

Venus L Peñaflor
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Cargo plane overshoots runway in Hong Kong, 2 airport workers killed

HONG KONG — Two airport security staff were killed early Monday when a cargo plane arriving from Dubai skidded off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport, struck their patrol vehicle, and pushed it into the sea, officials said.

The Boeing 747 aircraft, operated by Turkish freight carrier ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates, fell partially into the water after landing and was partially submerged. All four crew members escaped unharmed, according to the Airport Authority Hong Kong.

Steven Yiu, executive director of airport operations, said the security staff were pulled from the water without signs of life. “One was confirmed dead at the scene and another later at hospital,” he said.

The crash occurred around 3:50 a.m. local time (1950 GMT Sunday) at the world’s busiest cargo airport, marking Hong Kong’s deadliest airport incident in more than 25 years.

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause, examining weather conditions, runway surface, the aircraft, and the actions of the aircrew, Yiu said.

An air traffic control recording reviewed by Reuters indicated the plane’s pilot confirmed plans to land on runway 07L, where the accident occurred. No technical problems were reported before landing. “An incident happened at the airfield just now,” a controller was heard saying minutes after the landing.

Man Ka-chai, chief accident and safety investigator at the Air Accident Investigation Authority, confirmed the aircraft had been directed to the north runway. “We didn’t receive any message requesting help from the pilot,” he said.

Yiu added that the patrol car was operating “in its usual area” along a service road outside the runway fence and “definitely didn’t rush onto the runway.”

The Airport Authority said the north runway will reopen once safety inspections are completed. The south and central runways remain fully operational, and flights have not been disrupted.

Photos from the scene showed the AirACT-branded cargo plane partially submerged near the airport’s seawall, its escape slide deployed, and nose and tail sections separated.

In a statement, Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said the aircraft “deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea.”

Emirates confirmed that flight EK9788, a Boeing 747 cargo jet leased from ACT Airlines, sustained damage during landing. “Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard,” the airline said.

Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that the aircraft was 32 years old and had been converted from a passenger jet into a freighter.

Yiu said the airport authority will assist the victims’ families, noting that the two employees had served at the airport for seven and 12 years, respectively.

According to the Aviation Safety Network, the last fatal airport crash in Hong Kong occurred in 1999, when a China Airlines flight crashed during landing, killing three of the 315 people on board.

Discaya, BGC Boys mananatiling nakakulong sa Senado hanggang 2028, ayon kay Sotto

Venus L Peñaflor
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Discaya, BGC Boys mananatiling nakakulong sa Senado hanggang 2028, ayon kay Sotto

MAYNILA — Mananatiling nakakulong sa Senado si Curlee Discaya at ang tinaguriang “Bulacan Group of Contractors (BGC) Boys” na sina dating Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan district engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, at Jaypee Mendoza hanggang sa mag-adjourn ang 20th Congress sa 2028, maliban kung maglabas ng utos ang korte para sila ay arestuhin o palayain.

Ayon kay Senate President Vicente Sotto III, pinahintulutan ng Supreme Court (SC) ang Senado na panatilihin sa kustodiya ang mga indibidwal na napatawan ng contempt habang isinasagawa ang imbestigasyon o hanggang hindi pa ito natatapos.

“Mapipilitan kami, based on the SC ruling, na pagdating ng June 2028, ire-release namin sila,” pahayag ni Sotto sa isang panayam sa dzBB hinggil sa pagkakakulong nina Discaya at tatlong dating district engineer.

Dagdag pa ni Sotto, susunod ang Senado kung mag-uutos ang isang regular na hukuman na arestuhin o ilipat sa ibang detention facility ang apat.
“Of course. Ibang usapan na ‘yon. Oras na pinapaaresto na sila ng korte, di naman puwedeng di ko ibigay ‘yon,” aniya.

Naunang hinatulan ng contempt si Brice Hernandez ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee noong Setyembre 8 dahil umano sa pagsisinungaling sa pagdinig, habang sina Alcantara, Mendoza, at Discaya ay napatawan din ng contempt noong Setyembre 18.

Sinabi ni Sotto na ang tatlong dating district engineer ay humiling ng house arrest, habang si Discaya naman ay naghain ng habeas corpus petition na tinanggihan ng regional trial court.
“Yung abogado ni Discaya nagpunta sa RTC, dine-deny yung habeas e. Paano ko papayag dito sa sulat nila (for house arrest)? Nagmamakaawa nga e. Pero naawa ba sila sa mga tinamaan nung ginawa nila nung araw?” ayon kay Sotto.

Dagdag pa ng Senate President, pinapabilis ng Senado ang pagpasa ng panukalang batas na lumilikha ng isang Independent People’s Commission (IPC) upang ipagpatuloy ang imbestigasyon sa mga alegasyon ng katiwalian sa mga proyektong pang-imprastraktura.

Taal Volcano nagbuga ng 500 metrong plume, Kanlaon naglabas ng abo — PHIVOLCS

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Taal Volcano nagbuga ng 500 metrong plume, Kanlaon naglabas ng abo — PHIVOLCS

MAYNILA — Nagkaroon ng minor phreatomagmatic eruption ang Taal Volcano sa Batangas nitong Lunes ng umaga, ayon sa Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

Sa isang post sa Facebook na may kalakip na time-lapse video, sinabi ng ahensya na nangyari ang phreatomagmatic eruption mula 6:13 a.m. hanggang 6:14 a.m.

“Time-lapse footage of minor phreatomagmatic eruption at the main crater of Taal Volcano that occurred at 06:13 AM to 06:14 AM, today (20 October 2025),” ayon sa PHIVOLCS.

Dagdag pa nito, “This event generated plumes that rose 500 meters above the crater as recorded by the Main Crater IP Camera.”

Paliwanag ng PHIVOLCS, ang phreatomagmatic eruption ay sanhi ng interaksiyon ng magma at tubig, na karaniwang nagreresulta sa sunod-sunod na pagsabog na may pabagu-bagong pagitan.

Alert Level 1 pa rin ang umiiral sa Taal Volcano, na nangangahulugang ito ay nasa abnormal condition. Hindi ito dapat bigyang-kahulugang huminto na ang aktibidad o ang banta ng pagsabog.

Sa ilalim ng Alert Level 1, maaaring maganap ang steam-driven o phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, at nakamamatay na akumulasyon o pagbuga ng volcanic gas.

Ipinagbabawal ng PHIVOLCS ang pagpasok sa Taal Volcano Island, partikular sa Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) sa paligid ng Main Crater at Daang Kastila fissure. Bawal din ang pagpapalipad ng anumang sasakyang panghimpapawid malapit sa bulkan.

Samantala, sa Negros Island, nakapagtala rin ng ash emission ang Kanlaon Volcano nitong Lunes ng umaga.

Sa hiwalay na Facebook post, sinabi ng PHIVOLCS na nagsimula ang pagbuga ng abo sa Kanlaon Volcano’s summit crater mula 7:28 a.m. hanggang 7:38 a.m.

“Time-lapse footage of ash emission at the summit crater of Kanlaon Volcano that occurred at 07:28 AM to 07:38 AM, today (20 October 2025),” ayon sa PHIVOLCS.

“This event generated grayish plumes that rose up to 300 meters above the crater before drifting to the west as recorded by the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory – Canlaon City (KVO-CC) IP Camera,” dagdag pa ng ahensya.

Nanatili sa Alert Level 2 ang Kanlaon Volcano, na nangangahulugang may increased unrest. Maaaring maganap ang mga biglaang steam-driven o phreatic eruptions.

Sa ilalim ng Alert Level 2, ipinagbabawal ang pagpasok sa apat-na-kilometrong radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) at ang pagpapalipad ng anumang sasakyang panghimpapawid malapit sa bulkan.

Trump pressed Zelenskiy to concede territory to Russia, sources say

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Trump pressed Zelenskiy to concede territory to Russia, sources say

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to surrender parts of Ukraine’s territory to Russia during a tense meeting on Friday, according to two people briefed on the discussions. The exchange reportedly left the Ukrainian delegation “disappointed,” as Trump also refused to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles and suggested giving security guarantees to both Kyiv and Moscow.

The two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Trump’s comments confused Ukrainian officials, who had sought stronger U.S. support in their ongoing war with Russia.

Following the meeting, Trump publicly called for a ceasefire along the current battle lines — a proposal that Zelenskiy later appeared to support in remarks to reporters. A third source said the idea emerged after Zelenskiy insisted he would not voluntarily cede territory.

“The meeting ended with (Trump’s) decision to make a ‘deal where we are, on the demarcation line,’” the third source said.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump reaffirmed his stance: “We think that what they should do is just stop at the lines where they are, the battle lines. The rest is very tough to negotiate if you’re going to say, ‘you take this, we take that.’”

When asked if he told Zelenskiy that Ukraine must give up the entire Donbas region, Trump replied, “Let it be cut the way it is. It’s cut up right now. I think 78% of the land is already taken by Russia. You leave it the way it is right now. They can… negotiate something later on down the line.”

The meeting, while not considered disastrous, was nonetheless disappointing for the Ukrainian side, which had hoped to secure Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep inside Russian territory. U.S. Vice President JD Vance later told reporters that Trump had not yet decided whether to approve the missile transfer.

The Ukrainian president’s office declined to comment. The Financial Times first reported some details of the conversation on Sunday.

Recent developments suggest Trump had been shifting toward greater support for Kyiv, including remarks at the United Nations General Assembly in September suggesting Ukraine could eventually reclaim lost territory. However, Friday’s meeting indicates a renewed push from Trump for a swift peace deal, even one that could prove unfavorable to Ukraine.

According to multiple sources, U.S. officials raised the possibility of a territorial swap, an idea Trump had previously considered under which Ukraine would surrender Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for small parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. The sources said Trump emphasized that a quick agreement was “essential.”

“It was pretty bad,” one source said. “The message was, ‘Your country will freeze, and your country will be destroyed’ if Ukraine doesn’t make a deal with Russia.” Another source denied that Trump used the word “destroyed” but confirmed he resorted to profanity several times during the meeting.

Two of the sources said Trump appeared to be influenced by a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before. According to The Washington Post, Putin proposed a territorial exchange similar to what U.S. officials presented to Zelenskiy on Friday.

Ukrainian officials have strongly rejected the idea of ceding Donetsk and Luhansk, saying the remaining territory under Kyiv’s control is strategically vital. One source said surrendering the regions would be tantamount to “suicide,” as it would leave the rest of Ukraine vulnerable to further Russian offensives.

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly pressed the Ukrainians hardest to consider the Russian proposal, arguing that Donetsk and Luhansk have “significant Russian-speaking populations.”

Trump, who said last week he would meet Putin soon in Budapest, continues to pursue diplomatic engagement with Moscow. A Kremlin aide confirmed that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to hold preparatory talks ahead of that summit.

A previous Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska in August ended without any breakthroughs.

Israel resumes Gaza ceasefire, 26 killed in airstrikes amid renewed tensions

Venus L Peñaflor
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Israel resumes Gaza ceasefire, 26 killed in airstrikes amid renewed tensions

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military announced on Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza has resumed following a series of airstrikes that killed 26 people, after two Israeli soldiers died in an attack that triggered the latest surge in violence. The incident marks the most serious test so far of the U.S.-brokered truce this month.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the ceasefire he facilitated remained in effect, noting that American officials believe Hamas leadership may not have been involved in the violations. “It will be handled toughly, but properly,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that he was unsure whether Israel’s retaliatory strikes were justified. “I’d have to get back to you on that,” he said.

An Israeli security source said humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza were set to resume on Monday following U.S. pressure, after Israel temporarily halted the entry of supplies in response to what it called a “blatant” violation of the ceasefire by Hamas.

According to the Israeli military, its airstrikes targeted Hamas positions across Gaza, including field commanders, gunmen, tunnels, and weapons depots. The attacks followed the launch of an anti-tank missile and gunfire from militants that killed two Israeli soldiers.

Palestinian health authorities and residents reported that at least 26 people, including a woman and a child, were killed in the airstrikes. One of the strikes reportedly hit a former school in Nuseirat that was being used to shelter displaced families.

“We’re going to have to see what’s happening. We want to make sure that it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas,” Trump said, adding that some Hamas members “acting independently” could be behind the latest attacks. “They’ve been quite rambunctious, and they’ve been doing some shooting, and we think maybe the leadership isn’t involved,” he said.

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Israel on Monday, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.

Hamas’ armed wing said it remained committed to the ceasefire and denied involvement in any clashes in Rafah, saying it had not been in contact with groups in the area since March.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, speaking to reporters, said there were about 40 separate Hamas cells and no verified security structure to ensure complete disarmament. “Some of those cells will probably honor the ceasefire. Many of those cells, as we saw some evidence of today, will not,” he said. Vance added that enforcing the ceasefire would require Gulf Arab states to deploy forces to maintain law and order on the ground.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to respond “forcefully” to what he described as Hamas’ violations of the ceasefire.

Fearing a collapse of the truce, some Palestinians fled their homes in Khan Younis and others rushed to buy supplies in Nuseirat amid renewed airstrikes nearby.

The recent violence echoed Israel’s response to earlier violations of its truce with Hezbollah in late 2024, which has since largely held despite mutual accusations of breaches.

The October 10 ceasefire ended two years of conflict but remains fragile, with both sides accusing each other of repeated violations. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the “yellow line” marking the army’s pullback position under the ceasefire deal would be physically delineated and any breach would “be met with fire.”

Hamas accused Israel of carrying out multiple violations that have killed 46 people and blocked essential supplies from entering Gaza.

Israel said it would keep the Rafah crossing closed until Hamas fulfills its obligations under the ceasefire, citing delays in the handover of deceased hostages’ bodies. Hamas said it has already released all 20 living hostages and turned over 12 of the 28 bodies, adding that special equipment was needed to recover others trapped under rubble.

The Rafah crossing, a key humanitarian gateway, has been largely closed since May 2024. Under the ceasefire agreement, aid shipments to Gaza were to be significantly increased amid worsening famine conditions reported by the IPC global hunger monitor in August.

Although aid through another crossing had improved since the truce began, the United Nations said the current flow remains far below what is needed.

Critical issues such as Hamas’ disarmament, Gaza’s future governance, the composition of an international stabilization force, and steps toward a Palestinian state remain unresolved.

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