Israel Restricts Entry of Aid Into Gaza in Violation of Ceasefire Agreement | Palestine Policy Roundup 10.20.25
Welcome to the Palestine Policy Roundup, a weekly publication of the IMEU Policy Project.
👀 ICYMI: MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SPEAK OUT
Rep. Summer Lee: “A ceasefire in Gaza is a critical step to ending the genocide, surging aid, and reuniting Palestinian and Israeli families. As we continue to work for true, just, and lasting peace, this deal must hold. We owe it to every Palestinian killed, every home and hospital destroyed, to demand accountability for the war crimes committed, and we must keep pushing for an end to the occupation.”
Rep. Delia Ramirez: “After two horrifying years, I am relieved that Palestinian prisoners held in inhumane conditions and without charge have finally been released and the Israelis held hostage have been reunited with their families. Today marks a significant moment, but it doesn't erase the inflicted pain on thousands who have lost their lives and homes. Our work must continue. We must achieve a lasting peace for all residents of the region, including accountability for U.S. and Israel's violations of U.S. and international law and a self-determined future for Palestinians.”
Rep. Chuy Garcia: “I am relieved by the signing of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which has already led to the release of the 20 remaining living Israeli hostages and more than 1,900 Palestinian detainees…Every day for the past two years, my constituents have called not only to denounce the horrors of Israel’s war in Gaza but also to express their outrage at the U.S. providing most of the weapons that enabled them. It is essential that we both support the conditions necessary for a more peaceful future and pursue accountability for clear breaches of U.S. and international law.”
Rep. Ayanna Pressley: “Right now, Mohammed Ibrahim, a US citizen, is being held in an Israeli prison. His health is deteriorating. The circumstances are desperate. The United States must use every avenue available to secure the release of this Palestinian American child.”
DC DEVELOPMENTS
🧠 IMEU POLICY PROJECT PUBLISHES POLICY MEMOS ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN, US LEGAL OBLIGATIONS TO PUNISH ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE
As Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of President Trump’s Gaza plan, IMEU Policy Project published two new policy memos that provide insight into what President Trump’s 20-point plan means for Palestinians in Gaza and the need for the US to prevent and punish Israel for its genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
Since the announcement of the ceasefire agreement and the subsequent summit in Egypt, Israel has violated the ceasefire by not allowing the full quota of trucks and by not reopening Rafah; Israel also continues to kill Palestinians (as outlined in further detail below). This highlights major deficiencies of the Trump plan, including its lack of accountability measures for Israel’s disregard of its provisions. This issue and others are outlined in the memo on President Trump’s 20-point plan.
And whether or not the ceasefire holds, Members of Congress are obligated to recognize Israel’s genocide, hold Israel accountable for its actions, and impose consequences in response to its genocidal violence.
As a party to the Genocide Convention and under its own laws, the US has a duty to prevent and punish Israel for its genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. The memo on these US obligations outlines this responsibility and the recent history of US punishment of genocides elsewhere.
PALESTINE/ISRAEL DEVELOPMENTS
❌ ISRAEL VIOLATES CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT BY RESTRICTING AID AND REFUSING TO OPEN RAFAH GATE
In the less than two weeks since the ceasefire went into effect, Israel has refused to re-open the Rafah border crossing to allow the freedom of movement of people into and out of Gaza and is continuing to obstruct humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, violating its commitment to allow 600 trucks of aid into the area daily. These are both serious violations of the ceasefire and demonstrate the lack of accountability for Israel’s violations of the Trump plan.
On Sunday, Israel reportedly closed all crossings into Gaza and halted the delivery of humanitarian aid before promising to reopen the crossings on Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also announced the continued closure of the Rafah crossing.
These restrictions and other Israeli restrictions on the importing of heavy machinery complicate efforts to retrieve the bodies of more than 10,000 Palestinians and the remaining Israeli captives from under the rubble caused by Israel’s genocidal violence.
Humanitarian organizations have reported difficulties caused by Israeli restrictions in delivering humanitarian aid into Gaza even before Sunday’s closure. Last Friday, the World Food Programme reported that it had not yet begun distributing aid in Gaza City–where famine was reported to be present in August–due to the continued closure of the Zikim and Erez crossings. Fewer than half of the 600 trucks that Israel is obligated to allow into Gaza are making it through.
On Sunday, Israel killed at least 33 Palestinians in Gaza as it launched a wave of airstrikes Areas reportedly struck included a coffeehouse and soccer club, both in central Gaza, and the so-called humanitarian zone in Al Mawasi.
Israel’s actions clearly demonstrate that the Trump plan for Gaza will not necessarily put a stop to its genocide there. These cases also demonstrate why it’s just as important to block weapons to Israel now, especially as President Trump threatens to allow Israel to continue its genocidal violence.
Israel’s restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid still violate Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act, which compels a halt to weapons transfers to Israel. Members of Congress should exercise their oversight authority and immediately end weapons transfers to Israel.
🏠 ISRAEL KILLS PALESTINIANS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, 97 Palestinians have been killed by Israel. Many of these Palestinians were shot by the Israeli military as they approached the Israeli deployment line in Gaza, which is not marked and cuts through neighborhoods across the area. The Israeli military issued a forced displacement order for Palestinians who are behind the deployment line and named the area a combat zone–meaning that Israeli soldiers could potentially kill Palestinians who remain there.
As Palestinians attempt to return to what is left of their homes, many face the risk of inadvertently crossing this line and being killed by the Israeli military. Entire towns and parts of dense neighborhoods–including Beit Hanoon and Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, parts of neighborhoods near Gaza City, nearly all of Rafah, and more–are behind this line.
Last Friday, the Israeli military killed 11 Palestinians when it fired a tank shell at a vehicle carrying the Abu Shaaban family. The family was reportedly traveling through the Zeitoun area near Gaza City while they were trying to reach their home. Last Tuesday, the Israeli military attacked and killed five Palestinians who crossed the Israeli deployment line in Shujaiya, which is near Gaza City.
🔑 KEY TAKEAWAY: Bilal Hameed told Drop Site News why he returned to Shujaiya despite parts of the area being behind the Israeli deployment line: “Should I expose myself to danger or expose myself to humiliation, to degradation, to being insulted? No. Dead is dead—but if I must die, I’d rather die with dignity than live humiliated…I have to return to my area and stay steadfast here. To show people that I’m standing firm. No matter what they do here, we’ll return to our neighborhoods, rebuild them, and live our lives again.”
⛓️ PALESTINIAN CAPTIVES, BODIES RETURN FROM ISRAELI DETENTION WITH SIGNS OF ABUSE, TORTURE
Nearly 2,000 Palestinians, including more than 1,700 abducted from Gaza during Israel’s genocide there, have been returned as part of the captive exchange included in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. The bodies of Palestinian captives have also been returned as part of ongoing exchanges.
As Palestinians who were held captive by Israel returned to their homes, many recounted the the torture hey suffered at the hands of Israeli authorities. Many report being beaten and say that Israeli authorities psychologically tortured them by telling them that their loved ones were killed by Israel’s genocidal violence–for many, that was unfortunately true. Medical workers who treated the returned Palestinian captives described their bodies as being wracked by scabies and showing signs of starvation.
🔑 KEY TAKEAWAY: Mohammed al-Asaliya, a Palestinian captive released during the exchange, described the conditions in Israeli detention to The Guardian: “There was no medical care. We tried to treat ourselves by using floor disinfectant on our wounds, but it only made them worse. The mattresses were filthy, the environment unhealthy, our immunity weak, and the food contaminated. There was an area they called ‘the disco’, where they played loud music nonstop for two days straight. This was one of their most notorious and painful torture methods. They also hung us on walls, sprayed us with cold air and water, and sometimes threw chilli powder on detainees.”
Palestinian bodies returned by Israel also showed signs of this abuse and torture, as well as signs of execution. Medical workers described the bodies as being blindfolded and handcuffed, and said that many were unidentifiable due to being decomposed or burned. Israeli authorities did not identify the bodies when they were returned.
Thousands of Palestinians were abducted from Gaza during Israel’s genocide there, nearly all of whom have been held without charge. While some of these captives have been returned, thousands more Palestinians remain in Israeli detention–including Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamel Adwan Hospital who was abducted by the Israeli military following a raid on the hospital in December 2024. The Israeli human rights NGO B’Tselem has documeted the toruture of Palestinians in the Israeli prison system and described as a network of torture camps.
Photo: Opachevsky Irina, via Shutterstock. Stock Photo ID: 2270475495