Yousef Munayyer, head of the Palestine/Israel Program at the Arab Center Washington, D.C., joins CBS News to discuss the the strength of the ceasefire in Gaza.

Jerusalem

Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

Middle East Conflict

The peace deal brokered between Israel and Hamas has entered a critical phase, with the initial exchange of hostages and prisoners completed. Israel received 20 living hostages, while nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees were released. However, the return of the bodies of hostages who did not survive remains a contentious issue, as only four of 28 bodies have been returned, prompting Israeli threats to reduce aid to Gaza.

Ongoing violence, including reported Israeli strikes in Gaza, has raised concerns about the durability of the agreement. Mediators established a mechanism for the return of bodies, but implementation has been slow due to the destruction in Gaza. Some released Palestinian detainees have reunited with their families, though many face difficult circumstances upon return. The future of Gaza's administration and the overall peace process depends on careful adherence to the agreement by all parties involved.

How fragile is the Israel-Hamas peace deal?

President Trump claims the war is over between Israel and Hamas. So phase one of the deal he put forward saw the return of 20 living hostages to Israel and the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners. Now, despite a big rollout for peace in the Middle East, key points for phase two of the president's plan remain unresolved at this very hour. So one sticking point, the return of hostages' bodies, those who did not survive their kidnapping. Many are still somewhere inside of Gaza. Hamas returned just four of the 28 victims, and that sparked outrage among senior officials. In fact, new reporting by the Associated Press is that Israel is threatening to reduce aid by half until the remaining hostages' bodies are returned, and fast. Just moments ago, President Trump weighed in on social media, saying, in part, the job is not done. The dead have not been returned, as promised. Phase two begins right now. President Donald J. Trump, he signs. Well, let's go live to Yousef Muneer. He's head of the Palestine-Israel program and senior fellow at the Arab Center in Washington, D.C. So obviously, there is big concern about this agreement holding up, especially given the reporting on not all bodies being returned, as is required. What's your reaction to that? There is indeed significant concern about this deal holding up. This morning, we saw Israeli strikes that killed, reportedly, seven Palestinians inside the Gaza Strip, and we knew in these early days after the agreement that there would be very fragile moments that could easily be shattered by strikes like that. In relation to the bodies that are supposed to be returned, it's important to keep in mind that there was an agreement made in Cairo last week by the Israelis and the mediators and the Palestinians, as well, that delineated specifically the mechanism for how this was supposed to work. The Israelis understood that because of the massive bombing that they undertook in Gaza, the tremendous destruction that they laid to the Strip, that it was not going to be easy to recover all of these bodies, and a mechanism was set up and agreed to between the Israelis, the Palestinians, and the mediators for how to share information about this and to get this to happen as quickly as possible. For these reasons, it's particularly alarming that given that the Israelis had already agreed to this mechanism, they're looking for ways to kind of get out of this deal now, claiming that it's not moving the way that it is supposed to. But from what we know from what's been published around this agreement, this was expected. Your language, they are looking for ways to get out of this deal, sort of transmits that you feel like there is an intention already. Is that a fair assessment? Well, they have made it clear in the statements of the Israeli prime minister, in the statements of the Israeli defense minister in recent days, that there is an intention to continue to bomb the Gaza Strip. This is why President Trump was asked recently on Air Force One, what do you make of Benjamin Netanyahu's comments that he plans to continue this? And he had to say, the war is over, the war is over. And it's not clear if Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government fully understand that message from the president. His role here in ensuring that the Israelis hold up to their end of the bargain is going to be crucial. Twenty living prisoners of terror group Hamas released yesterday, four bodies of 28 released. Part of the deal was also that some Palestinian prisoners would be released, some 2,000. Some of them were serving life sentences. Where do they go? Do their leaders really insist that Hamas let go of power? So there were about 1,700 Palestinians who were scooped up by the Israeli military from the Gaza Strip who were never charged with anything and held basically as bargaining chips that were supposed to be released as part of this agreement. Some of them have been released. They are reuniting with their families who have been denied the opportunity to be with them. Some of them are going back to destruction and killed relatives as well after suffering tremendous bouts of torture and mistreatment in Israel's prisons. Some of the folks who've been released as well were thought to be high-ranking officials, high-ranking Palestinians who could potentially play a role in future governance. But those are not the individuals that the Israelis ultimately chose to release. In terms of where things go from here, there is already a process underway for a different type of administration in Gaza. But again, that's going to require really close handling of this agreement's implementation by all of the mediators so that things don't fall apart and simply return to the status quo ante. The world is watching. Yousef, thank you so much for that.

The U.S. military struck a fifth apparent Venezuelan boat allegedly carrying drugs, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media Tuesday. CBS News' Natalie Brand has more details.

Caracas

Trump says U.S. struck another alleged Venezuelan boat

News organizations including The New York Times, The Associated Press and Newsmax as well as ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Fox News say they will not sign new press rules as laid out in a Defense Department document. This could mean the Trump administration will evict reporters from the Pentagon.

Washington

Major U.S. news media outlets refusing to sign new Pentagon rules

Madagascar’s president ousted in a military takeover — Youth-led protests and parliament’s impeachment vote spark political turmoil.

Antananarivo

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Thousands of messages shared in a group chat of Young Republicans are revealing some racist thoughts that even they worried about being leaked. The exchanges obtained by Politico are part of a Telegram chat among Young Republican leaders in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont. Jason Beeferman, New York state politics reporter for Politico, joins with more.

Politico exposes racist messages sent by Young Republican leaders

The U.S. stock market rebounded on Monday (October 13) after President Trump appeared to walk back imposing new tariffs on Chinese goods.

Markets rebound after Trump softens tone on China tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump is heading back to the U.S. after his whirlwind trip to the Middle East, where he celebrated the first phase of a peace plan between Israel and Hamas.

Sharm El-Sheikh

Trump, world leaders sign Gaza peace plan and discuss next steps

The government shutdown entered its third week on Monday as the Senate is set to reconvene on Tuesday. CBS News' Nikole Killion has more from Capitol Hill.

Shutdown drags into third week as Senate set to reconvene

U.S. President Donald Trump was greeted in Tel Aviv with cheers and a military ceremony as he met families of hostages held in Gaza and addressed Israel's parliament. He now travels to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to join world leaders in discussions on Gaza's future.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Trump meets with Israeli leaders and hostage families

Twenty living hostages were released by Hamas after more than two years in captivity as a ceasefire continues to hold. Families in Israel describe emotional reunions while others continue to await confirmation about missing relatives.

Families reunite as ceasefire brings hostages, prisoners home

Israeli officials have confirmed that all 20 living captives have been released in Gaza.

Israel confirms all 20 living captives in Gaza have been released

The carefully choreographed Israel-Hamas exchange is underway, with Israel set to release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners following the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza. Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square.

Israel-Hamas swap begins as 2,000 Palestinian prisoners set for release

Following his visit to Israel, President Trump will stop in Egypt to co-host a major summit in Sharm el-Sheikh alongside Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The meeting will bring together leaders from more than 20 countries to discuss efforts toward peace in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

Donald Trump to co-host chair Gaza peace summit in Egypt

The French presidency announced Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's new cabinet line-up on Sunday (October 12), with most top jobs remaining unchanged at a time when opponents are demanding a political shift to win their support for urgent budget talks.

Paris

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Seven captives have been handed over to the Red Cross, who will facilitate their transfer to Israeli forces.

Israeli military says Red Cross has received 7 captives in Gaza

On his way to the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he expects the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to hold, despite concerns Hamas won’t abide by the deal.

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China on Sunday (October 12) called U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs on Chinese goods hypocritical and defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment, but stopped short of imposing new levies on U.S. products.

Beijing

Global Tariffs

Beijing blames U.S. for trade tensions, defends rare earth curbs

Afghanistan and Pakistan said they killed dozens of each other's troops during a night of heavy border clashes between the two countries. Afghanistan's Taliban forces launched attacks on Pakistani troops along their shared border in what it called "retaliation for air strikes carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul".

Chaman

Border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan leave dozens dead

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and an address by U.S. President Donald Trump to Israel's parliament.

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Zelenskyy called Trump for a second consecutive day to discuss defence and Ukraine's energy sector. It comes as Russia further intensifies its attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure ahead of its harsh winter.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy has second call with Trump amid Russian strikes

On Sunday, the minister of armed forces in Madagascar acknowledged an officer selected by a military group supporting demonstrators calling for President Andry Rajoelina to resign as the country's new army chief.

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With a trade war between the U.S. and China intensifying ahead of a Nov. 1 tariff deadline, there’s growing concern Beijing will use Taiwan as a bargaining chip.

Taipei City

Growing fear China will use Taiwan to bargain with U.S.

In a televised address ahead of the planned release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for unity despite ongoing divisions.

Netanyahu urges Israel put aside ‘differences’ with Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump blamed Democrats for his decision to lay off thousands of workers across the U.S. government as he followed through on his threat to cut the federal workforce during the government shutdown.

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Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv as 48 of the last remaining hostages are expected home after two years of the Israel-Hamas war. The crowd cheered Donald Trump as the peace deal's broker but there were jeers for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Tel Aviv braces for hostage release planned for Monday

Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall and The Godfather films, died Saturday at the age of 79, according to U.S. media reports. Entertainment journalist Johanna Schneller remembers Keaton as 'feisty and funny'.

Hollywood

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Former President Biden is now receiving radiation and hormone therapy to treat his prostate cancer, an aide said. The cancer is considered aggressive.

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It is unclear how many people were inside the Tennessee plant that exploded on Friday, but at least 16 people were reported on Saturday. Sheriff Chris Davis announced that there are no survivors. Nicole Valdes reports.

Tennessee

No survivors in Tennessee plant explosion, sheriff says

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters in London marked two years since the War in Gaza. However, the British government has seen enough. Haley Ott reports that police have been given sweeping powers to curb repeated demonstrations.

London

British Parliament designates Palestine Action a terrorist organization

Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff has addressed hundreds of thousands of Israelis in what's known as “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv. Witkoff hailed President Donald Trump for securing the ceasefire. The crowd was less receptive to his praise for Benjamin Netanyahu.

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A ceasefire is in effect between Hamas and Israel after just over two years of war. An exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinians held prisoner is set to take place in the coming days, and U.S President Donald Trump is set to visit the region on Monday.

How fragile is the Israel-Hamas peace deal?

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