Gaza ceasefire faces challenges
The ceasefire status between Israel and Hamas remains uncertain after Israel launched significant strikes on Gaza following the two countries’ apparent agreement after years of war. On Oct. 19, Israel launched significant strikes on Gaza following the death of three Israeli soldiers in an explosive attack in South Gaza. A week later, the death of an Israeli soldier in Gaza saw Israel renew its airstrikes, killing 104 people and injuring 250. The ceasefire, brought under President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan, centered around the release of 2,000 detained Palestinians held in Israel in exchange for the 20 last living hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.
Powerful hurricane slams Caribbean
Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful hurricanes to stir in the Atlantic Ocean basin, wreaked havoc on the Caribbean after making landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday. The initial death toll of 30 is expected to rise as the catastrophic flooding recedes. Hurricane Melissa continued its rampage, hitting Cuba as a Category 3 storm and the Bahamas as a Category 1 storm. The hurricane that caused widespread power outages, flooding and destruction through the region as it continued its path into the Atlantic.
US launches strikes on Venezuelan boats, moves forces south
United States forces launched eight airstrikes this week on cartel boats allegedly smuggling illicit drugs into the United States from Venezuela, which the Trump administration labeled as “narco-terrorists.” The highly controversial strikes, which occurred in international waters, have faced significant pushback from South American countries and raised questions about the legality in international waters. The strikes have come alongside a general military buildup in the Caribbean aimed at Venezuela, with an additional 14,000 soldiers deployed to Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Additionally, the USS Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier Strike Group — the most powerful in the country — also surged to the region, joining the seven other warships already present. The surge marks a military posture, with an unprecedented proportion of the U.S. Navy now in the region, according to IEJ media.