Israel on Sunday launched a series of deadly airstrikes on Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating a nine-day-old ceasefire — marking the worst escalation since the truce took effect.
According to Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas authority, at least 33 people were killed across the territory. The Israeli military said it was investigating reports of casualties.
“In response to the blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement earlier today, the IDF has begun a series of strikes against Hamas terror targets in the southern Gaza Strip,” the Israeli army said in a statement.
Hamas denied the accusation, with a senior official alleging that Israel was “fabricating pretexts to resume the war.”
The Israeli military later confirmed that two of its soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Gaza. A security official told AFP that Israel had also suspended the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave, citing Hamas’s “blatant violations” of the truce.
Throughout the war, Israel has repeatedly halted aid deliveries — a move the United Nations says has worsened famine conditions in northern Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier directed security forces to take “strong action against terrorist targets,” accusing Hamas of breaking the ceasefire. Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that the group would “pay a heavy price for every shot and every breach,” vowing an increasingly severe response.
Ceasefire Under Strain
The truce, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump and in effect since October 10, paused more than two years of intense conflict and outlined plans for hostage exchanges and Gaza’s reconstruction.
However, tensions flared Sunday when, according to the Israeli army, “terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and opened fire on IDF forces in Rafah.” The military said it responded with “fighter jet and artillery strikes” on the area.
Palestinian witnesses reported clashes in Rafah, describing scenes of chaos. One resident said Hamas fighters appeared to have been caught off guard by Israeli tanks. “The air force conducted two strikes from the air,” he told AFP.
In central Gaza, Abdullah Abu Hasanin, 29, from Al-Bureij camp, described devastation after Israeli strikes: “It’s as if the war has returned. We hoped the agreement would hold, but the occupation respects nothing — not an agreement, not anything. The scene is indescribable. Blood has returned again.”
Hamas Denies Ceasefire Breach
Hamas political bureau member Izzat Al-Rishq reiterated the group’s commitment to the ceasefire, accusing Israel of “fabricating flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes.” The group’s armed wing also claimed it had “no knowledge” of any clashes in Rafah.
Under Trump’s 20-point peace plan, Israeli troops were to pull back beyond the “Yellow Line,” maintaining control of Gaza’s borders but not its major cities. Hamas has since released 20 surviving hostages and continues to recover bodies from beneath the rubble.
Ongoing Toll
Since the conflict began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel — which killed 1,221 people, mostly civilians — more than 68,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, figures the United Nations considers credible. Over half of the victims are women and children.
On Sunday, Israel identified two of the latest recovered bodies as photojournalist and ambulance volunteer Ronen Engel and Thai farmworker Sonthaya Oakkharasri. Gaza’s health ministry said Israel had returned 15 Palestinian bodies that day, bringing the total handed over to 150.
Israel has tied the reopening of Gaza’s main crossing at Rafah to the full recovery of hostages’ remains. Hamas says it needs more time and equipment to locate bodies buried under debris from months of bombardment.
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