Israel claims instances of raids, killings as UN weighs Gaza stabilisation force plan

Israel’s military on Wednesday, 5 November, said its forces had shot dead two Palestinians in the central Gaza Strip for allegedly crossing the “yellow line” into an area under Israeli control, despite the ongoing US-brokered ceasefire.

The incident came as Washington circulated a draft United Nations Security Council resolution detailing its proposal for a “Board of Peace” and an international stabilisation force in Gaza. The proposed mission is expected to oversee security and governance during a two-year transitional period, during which Hamas would disarm and administrative structures would be put in place.

Israeli operations also intensified across the occupied West Bank. A 15-year-old boy was reportedly killed during an overnight raid in the town of al-Yamoun near Jenin, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The Palestinian Authority’s Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission said Israeli forces and settlers carried out more than 2,300 attacks across the West Bank over the past month.

In Ramallah, Israeli troops detained a Palestinian man during a joint army and intelligence operation. Police said he was shot in the leg after allegedly resisting arrest. Israel’s expanded campaign in the territory has resulted in more than 1,000 Palestinian deaths, thousands of arrests, and widespread demolitions since the war began.

Search efforts continued in Gaza for the remains of Israeli captives. The Israeli military confirmed receiving the body of another abductee on Wednesday, pending DNA verification. Hamas said it was attempting to recover additional remains believed to be buried beneath rubble in eastern Gaza City, an area heavily bombarded in recent years, complicating rescue and recovery efforts.

Israel frees five Palestinians amid continuing bloodshed in Gaza

In Germany, a human rights organisation filed a complaint against former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, accusing him of war crimes during the 2008–09 Gaza offensive. The Hind Rajab Foundation alleged that the operation caused extensive civilian casualties and large-scale destruction of infrastructure. “Accountability has no expiration date,” said the group’s general director.

Meanwhile, Palestinian officials accused Israeli settlers of fencing off roughly 200 hectares of agricultural land in Khirbet Samra, a move local leaders fear could precede annexation.

At the UN, US Ambassador Mike Waltz described ongoing talks with regional partners, including Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates, as “historic,” saying they could pave the way for a coordinated peacekeeping mandate.

In a separate development, the World Health Organization announced plans to rebuild or rehabilitate 20 damaged or destroyed health facilities in Gaza, in collaboration with UNICEF and UNRWA. The agencies said the restored centres would resume essential services such as routine vaccinations, nutrition screening and growth monitoring for an estimated 44,000 children.

Ruby Chen, father of deceased Israeli captive Itay Chen, whose body was returned earlier this week, urged that all remaining bodies be repatriated under the current ceasefire terms.

Gaza ceasefire still under strain as Israel reportedly launches fresh strikes