Gaza, Oct 21 (V7N) — “When the violence resumed, I felt my heart shatter. The ceasefire seems to be collapsing. On Sunday, people went mad buying food out of fear of famine, while greedy traders hiked prices. The peace agreement now looks extremely fragile,” said Gaza City businessman Abu Abdullah, speaking to Reuters with visible fear and despair. His words reflect the growing sense of dread spreading across Gaza as residents brace for a potential breakdown of the fragile ceasefire.

In Gaza City, Mahmoud Hashim, a father of five, described the situation as “a nightmare waiting to happen if the ceasefire collapses.” In southern Khan Younis, Khadija Abu-Nofal said hospitals were under attack while treating wounded children. “Where is the peace now?” she asked in anguish.

According to reports from AP and Al Jazeera, Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes across Gaza even during the ceasefire, violating it at least 80 times. Israeli forces claim the attacks targeted Hamas military infrastructure in retaliation for assaults on their troops. In response, Israel has restricted humanitarian aid from entering Gaza and threatened a complete blockade, worsening the already dire humanitarian situation.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said he is closely monitoring the situation, asserting that “Hamas did not directly attack the Israeli army; the attackers could be armed extremists.” Trump added that the ceasefire “remains in effect.” His special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Israel on Monday to oversee the ceasefire process and discuss its continuation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On the other side, a Hamas delegation led by chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo to meet with mediators from Qatar and Egypt. The discussions will focus on sustaining the ceasefire, potential disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from occupied areas, and the future governance of the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The Gaza government’s media office reported that since the ceasefire began, at least 97 Palestinians have been killed and 230 wounded in Israeli strikes. The office documented 80 ceasefire violations, describing them as clear breaches of international humanitarian law. Reports indicate that Israeli forces targeted civilians, conducted coordinated air and ground assaults, and arrested several unarmed Palestinians.

Since the start of the conflict on October 7, 2023, Israeli military actions in Gaza have killed 68,216 people and injured 170,361 others, according to local health authorities. With each new round of violence, Gaza’s fragile truce appears to edge closer to collapse, leaving millions trapped between hunger, fear, and uncertainty.

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