Hurricane Melissa Aftermath, Israel Strikes Gaza Again, Air-Traffic Controllers

Summary

Up First from NPR – Episode Summary

Date: October 29, 2025
Episode Title: Hurricane Melissa Aftermath, Israel Strikes Gaza Again, Air-Traffic Controllers
Main Hosts: Michelle Martin, Leila Fadel
Key Reporters/Guests: Eder Peralta, Daniel Estrin, Joel Rose, Ennis Baba (audio)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Up First examines the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa as it strikes Cuba after devastating Jamaica, the breakdown of a ceasefire following Israeli strikes in Gaza, and the mounting pressures on U.S. air-traffic controllers working unpaid during a government shutdown. The show features on-the-ground updates, first-hand accounts, and analysis from NPR correspondents and affected individuals.

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1. Hurricane Melissa: Aftermath in Jamaica and Cuba

Key Discussion Points

• Impact on Jamaica:

  • Capital Kingston avoided direct hit; airport may reopen for relief flights soon.
  • Widespread damage: over 500,000 people without power, blocked roads, and downed power lines nationwide.
  • Western Jamaica, especially St. Elizabeth parish, was severely hit with 185 mph winds and a 13-foot storm surge.
  • Rescue operations hindered; some families trapped in homes, with difficult conditions for responders.
  • Communication infrastructures down; full extent of damage unknown as phone lines and internet remain offline.
  • No confirmed casualties from the storm directly yet, though three people died in pre-storm preparations.

• Current Status in Cuba:

  • Hurricane Melissa regained strength and hit eastern Cuba as a Category 3 storm.
  • Hundreds of thousands ordered to evacuate amid a national economic crisis and fragile power grid.
  • U.S. and other countries express readiness to assist with relief efforts.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Eder Peralta on the devastation:
  “Anything that was not concrete was destroyed... a police station has been flooded by a couple of feet of water. All the windows have been blown out.” (03:38)
• Minister Desmond Mackenzie via Eder Peralta:
  “The whole of St. Elizabeth parish was underwater. We have reports coming out of Black River, a number of families being trapped.” (02:29)

Timestamps

• Jamaica Damage & Response: [02:13] – [04:45]
• Cuba’s Vulnerabilities & Threat: [04:49] – [05:17]

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2. Gaza Ceasefire Shatters Amid Israeli Strikes

Key Discussion Points

• Events Leading to Strikes:

  • Israeli soldier killed during operation to dismantle a Hamas tunnel; immediate Israeli military response ordered by PM Netanyahu.
  • Palestinian sources report strikes on homes and tents for displaced persons.
  • Around 100 Palestinians killed in less than 24 hours, including about 35 children.

• Human Impact:

  • NPR’s Anas Baba records scenes from hospital morgues highlighting civilian casualties.
  • Emotional testimonies from bereaved families.

• Ceasefire Status and International Response:

  • Despite violence, Israel reinstates ceasefire by 10am local time; U.S. supports Israel’s right to respond while maintaining commitment to the ceasefire.
  • President Trump: “When an Israeli soldier is killed, Israel should hit back. But he said nothing is going to jeopardize the ceasefire.” (07:17)
  • Discussion of U.S. efforts to stabilize and rebuild Gaza.

• Ongoing Disputes:

  • Tensions persist over body recoveries of Israeli hostages; Israel accuses Hamas of stalling.
  • Concerns that some bodies—both Israeli and Palestinian—may never be recovered due to the scale of destruction.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Anas Baba, via Daniel Estrin, relays Palestinian mother Halimah Abu Hanna:
  “Why did they take my soul away from me? Tell the world enough.” (06:36)
• President Trump statement:
  “Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East and they have to behave... if they’re not good, they’re going to be terminated.” (07:26)

Timestamps

• Reporting and Testimony from Gaza: [05:32] – [09:09]

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3. Air-Traffic Controllers Unpaid: Impacts of the U.S. Government Shutdown

Key Discussion Points

• Situation Overview:

  • Air-traffic controllers nationwide are working without pay as shutdown endures; many missed a full paycheck this week.
  • Increased stress, especially for trainees and those living paycheck-to-paycheck.
  • Controllers in New York and Atlanta describe family and financial strain, taking second jobs to stay afloat.

• Controllers Speak Out:

  • Controllers becoming more vocal and visible, leafletting at airports, appealing for congressional action.
  • Some controllers turning to gig economy roles (Uber, DoorDash, Instacart) or other part-time work.

• Operational Impact:

  • Slight uptick in sick calls but no major increase in overall flight delays yet.
  • Existing shortage of more than 3,000 certified controllers; workforce already stretched thin with overtime.

• Public Safety & Future Risks:

  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns, “Almost every controller can’t make it without two paychecks.” (12:15)
  • Assurance that flying remains safe but risk of increased delays and larger disruptions if shutdown continues.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Joe Segretto, New York controller:
  “We have people trying to keep these airplanes safe... now having to worry about how they’re going to pay bills.” (09:31)
• Maximilian Crawford, Atlanta controller:
  “We have controls living paycheck to paycheck. They’re hurting and they’re asking for help from loans or from family or to do other jobs outside of their on-duty time.” (10:01)
• Wardell Williams, Atlanta controller:
  “A lot of people are doing multiple different things. Some people driving Uber, doing Uber Eats... to make ends meet.” (10:13)

Timestamps

• Controllers’ Experience & Impact: [09:18] – [13:04]

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Notable Quotes (with Speaker and Timestamp)

• Eder Peralta describing Jamaica’s storm damage:
  “Anything that was not concrete was destroyed.” (03:38)
• Halimah Abu Hanna in Gaza (via Anas Baba/Daniel Estrin):
  “Why did they take my soul away from me? Tell the world enough.” (06:36)
• President Trump on Israel-Hamas flare-up:
  “When an Israeli soldier is killed, Israel should hit back. But he said nothing is going to jeopardize the ceasefire.” (07:17)
• Air traffic controller Joe Segretto:
  “We have people trying to keep these airplanes safe... now having to worry about how they’re going to pay bills.” (09:31)
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy:
  “Almost every controller can’t make it without two paychecks.” (12:15)

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Key Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Topic | Time | |--------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Jamaica hurricane update | Damage and rescue efforts | 02:13–04:45 | | Cuba hurricane threat | Storm’s impact on Cuba | 04:49–05:17 | | Gaza violence | Israeli strikes after ceasefire breached | 05:32–09:09 | | Air-traffic controllers | Unpaid work, stress, and operational impact | 09:18–13:04 |

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Conclusion

This brisk, fact-rich episode spotlights how a natural disaster and a political crisis are converging on vulnerable populations in the Caribbean, how international ceasefire efforts falter under new violence in Gaza, and how U.S. domestic politics are putting unsustainable pressure on those responsible for air safety. Through first-hand accounts and expert reporting, the episode poignantly illustrates the far-reaching human impact of these unfolding events.

Listeners are left with a deeper understanding of the developing stories and the voices behind the headlines.

Transcript

[Michelle Martin]

Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Cuba after it drenched entire neighborhoods in Jamaica.

[Leila Fado]

The storm flooded the streets and cut off power to hundreds of thousands of people. Now, how much damage is it causing in Cuba?

[Michelle Martin]

I'm Michelle Martin with Leila Fado. And this is up first from NPR News. President Trump insists the Gaza ceasefire is intact, even after Israel launched new strikes that killed about 100 Palestinians.

[Eder Peralta]

They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back and they should hit back.

[Michelle Martin]

Is this a ceasefire when it looks.

[Leila Fado]

Like war and air traffic controllers are working without pay as the government shutdown just keeps going?

[Daniel Estrin]

I'll tell you this, almost every controller can't make it without two paychecks.

[Leila Fado]

What happens when the people keeping planes safe can't afford to stay on the job? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

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[Leila Fado]

NPR connects you to music you love and a community to share it with. That's a mission worth celebrating.

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It's Public Radio Music Day.

[Leila Fado]

Amplify of this community with a donation [e-mail] and thank you. As the sun rises over Jamaica, the country is surveying the damage left behind by a massive Category 5 storm that made landfall on Tuesday.

[Michelle Martin]

Hurricane Melissa is now battering the west coast of Cuba.

[Leila Fado]

NPR's Eder Peralta has been following the story from his base in Mexico City and joins me now. Good morning, Adera.

[Eder Peralta]

Hey, good morning, Dala.

[Leila Fado]

Okay, so let's start with Jamaica. What do we know about the damage the storm has caused?

[Eder Peralta]

You know, the one piece of good news in all of this is that the most populous part of Jamaica, the capital Kingston, missed the brunt of this storm. Indeed, the government says the international airport there may reopen for relief flights as early as Thursday. But Hurricane Melissa caused significant damage More than half a million people are without power. And the government says that every single part of the country is dealing with blocked roads and down power lines. The biggest worry is the western part of Jamaica, which was absolutely pummeled. The storm came on Shore packing 185mph winds, and it produced a storm surge of up to 13ft high. The Minister of Local Government, Desmond Mackenzie, said The whole of St. Elizabeth parish was underwater. We have reports coming out of Black river, our number of families being trapped.

[Michelle Martin]

In their homes, and it was difficult.

[Eder Peralta]

For the rescue team to get there.

[Leila Fado]

So, Ader, that obviously leads to the question of whether these rescue teams will be able to get there today. Do you have any idea?

[Eder Peralta]

I mean, Desmond Mackenzie said they are hoping and praying that they can get there today and that those people are alive. And much of the work of the government is focused on trying to clear the roads. But this is going to be a lot of work. One of the local MPS in Elizabeth Parish shared videos online, and they showed serious devastation. The town of Black river, you can see roads covered in water, and anything that was not concrete was destroyed. In one of those videos, we see a police station that has been flooded by a couple of feet of water. All the windows have been blown out. Outside, we see that cars have been submerged in water. Phone lines and the Internet in those places are down. So it may be a while until we get a real idea of the extent of damage. Authorities, for example, say that they don't yet have any reports of deaths, though three people were killed in the run up to the storm as they trimmed trees. It's also worth noting that several countries, including the us, say they are prepared to help with the relief effort.

[Leila Fado]

Okay, so that is the damage in Jamaica, but this storm is still out there. Where is it now?

[Eder Peralta]

Yeah, so as it went through Jamaica, it lost a lot of steam. It emerged back out into the Caribbean, it strengthened, and then it slammed into eastern Cuba early this morning. Still, as a major Category 3 hurricane, Cuba has ordered hundreds of thousands to evacuate. But that island nation is especially vulnerable right now. It's going through a terrible economic crisis, and its electrical grid is often thrown offline by much smaller storms. So we expect it to have a big, big impact on Cuba.

[Leila Fado]

That's NPR's Eder Peralta reporting from his base in Mexico City. Aer. Thank you.

[Eder Peralta]

Thank you, Leila.

[Leila Fado]

Overnight, the ceasefire in Gaza suddenly looked a lot like war. NPR's Ennis Baba in Gaza City recorded that sound of an Israeli airstrike last night.

[Michelle Martin]

The Israeli Military says a soldier was killed in Gaza. Civil defense officials counted around 100 Palestinians killed, all in less than 24 hours. Now the ceasefire is back on.

[Leila Fado]

We have NPR's Daniel Estrin on the line from Tel Aviv with the latest. Good morning, Daniel.

[Daniel Estrin]

Good morning, Leila.

[Leila Fado]

So what happened that led to all these killings?

[Daniel Estrin]

Well, the Israeli military says troops were dismantling a Hamas tunnel yesterday afternoon. This is in an area of Gaza that troops are positioned in and that Palestinian militants opened fire and killed a soldier. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately ordered forceful strikes in response. And Palestinians report airstrikes on homes, on displaced persons tents throughout Gaza. NPR's Anas Baba captured this scene at a hospital morgue. That's Halimah Abu Hanna cradling the lifeless body of her 10 year old son Fadi. And she's saying, why did they take my soul away from me? Tell the world enough. Gaza civil defense officials say around 35 children were among some 100 Palestinians killed. Israel says it killed 30 militants in these strikes. It was one of the single deadliest 24 hour periods we've seen in Gaza, even deadlier than many days throughout the war. And by today, 10am local time, Israel said the ceasefire was back on.

[Leila Fado]

The US Was the one who brokered this deal. Did the US Approve this wave of Israeli strikes?

[Daniel Estrin]

It did. President Trump told reporters that when an Israeli soldier is killed, Israel should hit back. But he said nothing is going to jeopardize the ceasefire.

[Eder Peralta]

Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle east and they have to behave. They're on the rough side, but they said they would be good. And if they're good, they're going to be happy. And if they're not good, they're going to be terminated.

[Daniel Estrin]

Indeed, the US Is very invested in a major effort here to build an international stabilization force. It's planning big development projects to rebuild Gaza. Hamas says it had no connection to this shooting on the soldier. It could have been militants acting without orders. But we did see a similar wave of violence happen last week. And now again, we're seeing the ceasefire back on fairly quickly.

[Leila Fado]

We've also been hearing about a dispute over the search for Israeli hostage bodies that remain in Gaza. Is this going to impact the ceasefire, which we've seen already broken twice?

[Eder Peralta]

It could.

[Daniel Estrin]

Israel has been considering limiting humanitarian aid to Gaza or even taking over more territory in Gaza to pressure Hamas to hand over hostage bodies more quickly. Israel is accusing Hamas of purposefully dragging its feet on returning 13 more hostage bodies. Hamas denies that and yesterday, Israel said Hamas faked the discovery of a hostage body in the ground. And Israel released footage of this. You see a body being buried and then unearthed. And the Red Cross in a statement said it was unexpected, acceptable that a recovery was staged. Now Hamas is saying it found two more hostage bodies. There are so many bodies, either believed to be buried under rubble, just like many bodies of Palestinians. So there are fears that those hostage bodies may never be recovered.

[Leila Fado]

NPR's Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv. Thank you, Daniel, for this reporting.

[Daniel Estrin]

You're very welcome.

[Leila Fado]

The government shutdown is disrupting flights across the country.

[Michelle Martin]

Air traffic controllers are still required to come to work despite receiving $0 in their paychecks this week. And controllers say that's making an already difficult job even harder.

[Eder Peralta]

The pressure is real. We have people trying to keep these airplanes safe. We have trainees trying to learn a new job that is very fast paced, very stressful, very complex, now having to worry about how they're going to pay bills.

[Michelle Martin]

That's air traffic controller Joe Segretto, who works at one of the busiest air traffic control centers in New York. But it's not just him. In Atlanta, our member station WABE spoke to controllers who handle traffic around the nation's busiest airport about how they're coping. We're going to hear first from Maximilian Crawford and then Wardell Williams.

[Eder Peralta]

We have controls living paycheck to paycheck. They're hurting and they're asking for help from loans or from family or to do other jobs outside of their on duty time. They just got to do what they need to do to provide for their family.

[Michelle Martin]

It's horrible.

[Eder Peralta]

We still got lives to live. We still got mouths to feed, daycare, roofs over our head, things that we need to pay for. A lot of people are doing multiple different things. Some people driving Uber, doing Uber eats and all kind of different things to make ends meet.

[Leila Fado]

To dig deeper on this, we turn to NPR's Joel Rose. Hi, Joel.

[Joel Rose]

Hey, Layla.

[Leila Fado]

Okay, so as we just heard, air traffic controllers are now speaking up publicly. Is that unusual?

[Eder Peralta]

It is.

[Joel Rose]

And I think it's a sign of the mounting pressure that they face as this government shutdown drags on. This week marks the first time that they've officially missed a full paycheck. Some controllers were out at airports yesterday, taking their message directly to the flying public and handing out leaflets calling on Congress to end the shutdown. Now the controllers union says some have taken on second jobs in the gig economy, driving for Uber or Doordash or Instacart. Others may be working in food service. The union says that is a minority, probably only in the hundreds of controllers. But union leaders say this is adding unnecessary stress for all controllers. And the Transportation Department says there has been an uptick in the number of controllers who are calling in sick.

[Leila Fado]

Yeah, I mean, they're doing all this work without pay. So how much is all of this affecting passengers?

[Joel Rose]

It's a good question. We have seen isolated delays at airports across the country because of staffing shortages in places like Los Angeles, Washington, Dallas, Atlanta, Newark. But overall delays this month have not been out of line with what is normal. Normal outside of the shutdown. The aviation analytics firm Cirium says on any given day, about 20% of all flights are delayed more than 15 minutes for a bunch of reasons. And there has not been a dramatic increase since the beginning of the shutdown. Still, there is a lot of concern about what will happen as the shutdown continues and if air traffic controllers are forced to miss another paycheck. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy held a press conference yesterday at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Here's a bit of what he had to say.

[Daniel Estrin]

Many of our controllers can make it.

[Eder Peralta]

Without this first paycheck.

[Daniel Estrin]

They've been on the job for, you know, 10, 15, 20 years.

[Eder Peralta]

They plan for days like this. But I'll tell you this, almost every.

[Daniel Estrin]

Controller can't make it without two paychecks.

[Joel Rose]

Keep in mind, there was already a shortage of air traffic controllers before the shutdown. The system is more than 3,000 certified controllers short, and controllers in many places were already working six day weeks with mandatory overtime. So it just doesn't take a big increase in sick calls to have a major impact on a system that is already fragile.

[Leila Fado]

So given all this, is it safe to fly right now?

[Joel Rose]

Yes. According to the FAA and the Department of Transportation, their top priority is keeping the system safe. But if they have to, they will limit the number of planes that are in the air in order to keep from overloading the system. So I would say, yes, it is safe to fly, but we are going to see a lot more delays and disruptions before this is over.

[Leila Fado]

NPR transportation correspondent Joel Rose. Thank you, Joel.

[Joel Rose]

You're welcome.

[Leila Fado]

And that's a first for Wednesday, October 29th. I'm Layla Falden.

[Michelle Martin]

And I'm Michele Martin. If you enjoy starting your day with up first and our radio program MORNING Edition, please consider donating to your local NPR station. Your money goes to supporting reporters on the ground in your community and around the world. Keep the NPR network strong. Visit donate.npr.org UpFirst to contribute.

[Leila Fado]

Today's episode of Up first was edited by Tara Neal, Russell Lewis, Miguel Macias, Mohamed Albardisi and Ali Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Buch, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Damien Herring, Nathan and our technical director, please, Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

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[Daniel Estrin]

It's Robin Hilton from All Songs Considered. Finding a new favorite song or artist is such a deep, specific joy. And it's all the more special to find that joy on public media where people, not algorithms, invite you in. NPR is your personal portal to music discovery. Keep the door open with a donation this Public Radio music day. Visit donate.NPR.org and thank you.

[Eder Peralta]

I'm Ira Glass.

[Michelle Martin]

On this American Life, we tell real.

[Daniel Estrin]

Life stories, really good ones.

[Joel Rose]

My mother said, I'm sorry that you weren't here because Father Sager was here.

[Eder Peralta]

Visiting and he found a very nice orphanage for you. And I said, but I'm not an orphan.

[Joel Rose]

Surprising stories in your podcast, Feed this American Life.