U.S. Vice President JD Vance made his first visit to Israel, landing in Kiryat Gat on October 20th, 2025, to tour the joint Israel-United States headquarters, a significant stop for the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the IDF announced that the Red Cross had collected a casket, believed to contain the body of a slain hostage, from Hamas in southern Gaza and was bringing it to IDF troops for a ceremony. These events unfold as Israel continues to demarcate the "Yellow Line" in Gaza and reports emerge about Hamas's military capabilities and alleged use of civilian infrastructure. Vice President Vance's visit to Kiryat Gat highlights the established Israel-American headquarters in southern Israel. Concurrently, the Red Cross's recovery of what is believed to be a hostage's body from Hamas in southern Gaza, as confirmed by the IDF, marks a somber development. The IDF stated the Red Cross notified them of the collection and is now transporting the casket to IDF troops within Gaza for a small ceremony led by a military rabbi. Earlier reports indicated that the "Yellow Line" demarcation in Khan Yunis was ongoing, with physical markers being placed along boundaries. Amidst these developments, an assessment in Israel suggests Hamas's military power includes approximately 20,000 terrorists, hundreds of medium-range rockets, thousands of RPGs, over 10,000 long weapons, six brigades, 24 battalions, and that more than half of its pre-war tunnels remain active. Separately, a source familiar with an incident in Rafah indicated that the White House and Pentagon were aware the explosion was caused by an Israeli settler bulldozer hitting unexploded ordnance, contradicting claims that Hamas emerged from tunnels. This information was reportedly conveyed to Israel after Prime Minister Netanyahu initially blocked aid to Gaza and initiated bombing raids. In the past hour, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly reactivated his "genocidal war on Gaza," conducting over 100 airstrikes since the morning and killing more than 30 Palestinian civilians, according to a report citing a source. Netanyahu also reportedly activated collective punishment by blocking all humanitarian aid to Gaza, though later announced he would re-open the crossings within a few hours. This follows previous reports from October 20th, 2025, detailing Hamas's alleged use of ambulances for transportation and hospitals for operations in Khan Yunis, as shared on social media by @Basem_gaza1988. The IDF also reported engaging and firing upon two groups of Palestinian terror operatives who crossed the "Yellow Line" in the Shejaiya neighborhood, deeming them an "imminent threat."
