2 months ago
49
ARTICLE AD BOX
(NewsNation) — The Israeli military fired at several people it said approached troops in northern Gaza on Tuesday, a day after mediators signed a ceasefire agreement to halt fighting between Israel and Hamas.
"After multiple attempts to distance them, the suspects refused to comply, prompting troops to open fire to remove the threat. Reports of terrorists infiltrating an IDF position are incorrect," the Israeli Defense Forces said on social media.
The shootings come as Israelis celebrate the return of 20 living hostages and await the release of the remains of 24 deceased.
President Donald Trump said the most challenging step — reaching a deal — is over and that "rebuilding is maybe going to be the easiest part" of the process.
Gaza ceasefire: What's next for Israel, Hamas?
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement saw the reunification of families, a long-awaited development for those in the region and around the globe. But the question remains of how to transform the agreement into long-term peace in the region.
Roughly 200 U.S. troops are stationed in Israel to monitor the results of the ceasefire, and Trump said further conversations about the territory's next steps are already underway.
Under the U.S.-brokered plan, an international body will govern Gaza and oversee Palestinian officials for day-to-day happenings. The plan also mentioned a potential Palestinian state, a sticking point in previous negotiations.
"Gaza's reconstruction requires that it be demilitarized and that a new honest civilian police force must be allowed to create a safe condition for the people in Gaza," Trump said Monday. "As I said earlier, I intend to be a partner in securing a better future."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained his previous stances on governance in Gaza and the demilitarization of Hamas.
Two family members hug each other at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 13, 2025, as relatives and friends gather to watch the live broadcast of hostage Guy Gilboa Dalal's release and reunion with his family. (Photo by Ori Aviram / Middle East Images via GETTY-AFP)
People gather to watch a live broadcast of Israeli hostages being released from Gaza at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 13, 2025, as crowds fill the plaza to witness the latest exchange amid ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ori Aviram / Middle East Images via GETTY-AFP) 
Israelis react as they watch the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas during a live broadcast on so-called hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 13, 2025. Hamas freed seven living Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip on Monday morning, following a US-led deal reached late last week. (Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Released hostage Guy Gilboa Dalal is escorted into Beilinson Hospital in Israel on Oct. 13, 2025, while greeting the crowd gathered to witness his arrival following his release from Gaza (Photo by Ori Aviram / Middle East Images via GETTY-AFP)
A freed Palestinian prisoner is greeted after he was released from an Israeli jail as part of a hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on Oct. 13, 2025. (REUTERS/Ammar Awad)
Workers put up pieces of a huge sign that reads, “Peace Israel” in English and in Hebrew on a building in hostage square on Oct. 12, 2025, in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Ceasefire holds as US support for Israel declines
American support for Israel has plummeted since the war in Gaza began.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, 39% of Americans believe Israel has gone too far in its military operation. That's up from 31% a year ago, and 27% in late 2023.
A majority, 59%, now hold an unfavorable view of the Israeli government — up eight points from early 2024.
Support for Israel among American voters has declined from 47% two months following the Oct. 7 attacks to 34%, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll.
Sympathy for Palestinians has risen from 20% to 35%, marking the first time in more than two decades that a New York Times poll found more support for Palestine than Israel.
NewsNation's Marcus Espinoza, Taylor Delandro and Anna Kutz contributed to this report.
English (US) ·