Gaza ceasefire strained as security operations intensify in Brazil and the eastern Pacific

Off Leash update 29 October

GAZA AND THE WEST BANK •Israel accused Hamas of violating their ceasefire agreement by failing to return hostage remains as quickly as possible and by firing on Israeli forces, reportedly killing one reservist. •Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered "forceful strikes" that killed 104 Gazans in retaliation. •Hamas denied firing at Israeli troops and said it was committed to keeping the ceasefire, but threatened to delay the next return of hostage remains in response to what it deemed violations by Israel. •Pres. Trump and Vice Pres. Vance both expressed confidence that Trump's ceasefire will hold - despite what Vance called "little skirmishes here and there" - and Israel declared the ceasefire back on at 10 am local time today. •Separately, Israel also carried out its first airstrike on the West Bank since February yesterday, targeting Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants over PIJ's alliance with Hamas.

JAMAICA •Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica as the strongest storm the island nation has ever recorded, but weakened to a Category 3 storm before reaching Cuba early today. •Climatologists say the storm strengthened ahead of its Jamaica landfall because it drew heat energy from water temperatures 2.5°F (1.4°C) above the seasonal average.

BRAZIL •Brazilian police mounted a massive, 2,500-officer operation against the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) drug cartel in Rio de Janeiro, killing at least 60 alleged criminals in the ensuing firefight. •Rio is hastily trying to clean up crime before its guests arrive for the COP30 climate conference, which starts Nov. 10. •Police carried out similar anti-gang operations ahead of other major events in Rio - like the 2016 Olympics, the 2024 G20 summit, and July's BRICS meetings - but this was by far their deadliest cleanup campaign yet. •Rights groups criticized police for using heavy-handed tactics in their raids and called for an investigation, but police chiefs maintained that they needed to use overwhelming force against well-armed gangsters who chased them with weaponized drones.

CARTELS •The U.S. military struck four more alleged drug trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean yesterday, killing 14 and leaving one survivor (who was apparently rescued by the Mexican Navy). •SecDef Hegseth wrote that all four struck boats "were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics" - but that won't be good enough proof for critics of the ongoing anti-cartel operations, who point out that the extrajudicial strikes are probably illegal.