Despite a ceasefire in Gaza, civilians don’t feel safe

0:00This week on the NPR Politics Podcast, we're digging into the massive wave of tech money flooding the midterms with a growing appetite in D. to regulate AI. AI companies and AI interests really want to be involved in picking who is going to write that kind of legislation. We break down a proxy battle over the future of AI regulation. This week on the NPR Politics Podcast. Today on State of the World, despite a ceasefire in Gaza, civilians don't feel safe. You're listening to State of the World from NPR. We bring you the day's most vital international stories up close where they're happening. I'm Greg Dixon.

0:42There's been a ceasefire in effect in Gaza for eight months. But in that time, more than a thousand Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces. A thousand killings since President Trump declared the war in Gaza over. In today's episode, NPR's Anas Baba takes us to the Palestinian territory. In a warning, his report will contain the sound of gunfire. In Gaza, he says, nowhere is safe for civilians, even in a ceasefire. In the heart of Gaza City, in what was once considered an upscale neighborhood called Arimau, small signs of everyday life have resumed in this ceasefire, like people gathering at this popular and simple cafe.

1:34Mahmoud Kohail says, This cafe isn't just a place to meet friends, but a space to feel normal again. The 24-year-old says, He was stunned when a man sitting just a few tables away was suddenly shot dead. Surveillance footage from this outdoor cafe in Arimau shows Khalid al-Masri, a 40-year-old businessman and a father of three, seated with friends when he suddenly slumps over. His friends jump in panic, confused. Blood is oozing from his head. People at the cafe say Al-Masri was shot by a remote-controlled Israeli machine gun mounted on a large crane, nearly half a mile away, where Israel's occupies territory.

2:21People living closer to the crane say the gun opened fire daily, but bullets rarely travel this far. Gaza's health ministry says the gunfire that day also tore through a nearby makeshift tent, killing a 19-year-old and wounding others. When asked by NPR, Israel's military did not acknowledge the incident. Israeli forces now occupy nearly 70 % of the Gaza Strip. Israeli surveillance and attack drones constantly roam over the sliver of territory where 2 million Palestinians are squeezed. And as the world's attention was focused on the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, Israeli forces steadily took over more territory in the Gaza Strip and killed more people last month than any time this year, according to Gaza's health records.

3:16Israeli gunfire rings out in Palestinian areas where Israel is pushing deeper. Israel's military acknowledges shooting at people who are within half a mile of its forces, saying they pose a threat to troops. Some of those killed have been children collecting firewood. Other times, it's people unaware of Israel's shifting zone of control, like Baha Abolajin, once a farmer in Gaza. He was walking along a main road with his son, Ryan, and brother-in-law near their home in central Gaza this month. Suddenly, bullets began flying overhead.

3:58Abu Lajin says, Israeli forces shot him below the knee and his five-year-old son, Ryan, in the head. He says four Israeli soldiers then dragged them into a car, ignoring his pleas to help his dying son. Israel's military says, soldiers identified several Gazans approaching them, initiated apprehension procedures and opened, quote, warning fire. The military said it regrets harm to civilians without elaborating.

4:35Abu Najin says he was blindfolded and questioned for around six hours as his son died in his arms. He says, Israeli soldiers then released them to an open area of Gaza where Palestinians could take them to a hospital where his son was pronounced dead. His brother-in-law remains detained. And this week, four missile strikes targeted a car in Gaza City in broad daylight, sending people running for cover.

5:07Israel's military says it struck a Hamas militant, But Gaza's health ministry says the only person killed was a 17-year-old girl who had already lost her father in the war. She was struck on her way to find internet access to take final exams for the school year. Back at the cafe, Kohail says anyone can be killed at any time in Gaza from a bullet, tank fire, or missile. He says there is no safety. whether there is a ceasefire or not. Anas Barba, NPR News, Gaza City.

5:54That's the State of the World from NPR. Thanks for listening.

6:01On Consider This, NPR's afternoon news podcast, we cover everything from politics to the economy to the world. but every story starts with a question. At NPR, we stand for your right to be curious, to make sense of the biggest story of the day and what it means for you. Follow Consider This wherever you get your podcasts.

6:25Every episode of It's Been a Minute, NPR's What's Happening in Culture podcast starts by asking three questions. Who? How? Why now? If the culture's asking it, we're talking about it. At NPR, we stand for your right to be curious and indulge your cultural curiosity. Follow It's Been a Minute wherever you get your podcasts, and we'll break down the zeitgeisty topics that are filling your feed. There have been some fantastic movies released this year, and we know you can't see them all. So we're recommending some great films that might have flown under the radar to add to your watch list. Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour via the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.