Israel launched air strikes and artillery fire on Gaza on Sunday, in what officials called a response to militant attacks, as the U.S.-mediated ceasefire came under renewed strain.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza had resumed after an attack that killed two of its soldiers and prompted a wave of airstrikes that killed 26 people, in the most serious test yet of this month's U.S.-brokered truce. It claimed to have destroyed tunnels and military sites.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would “respond forcefully” to any attack on its troops.
Palestinian witnesses reported explosions and gunfire in Rafah, tank fire near Abassan, and air strikes in central Gaza. Medics at Al-Aqsa Hospital said at least five people were killed in Deir Al-Balah.
Gaza’s health ministry later said Israeli attacks had killed at least eight people in the last 24 hours.
Accusations of ceasefire violations
The air strikes marked the most serious breach since the truce began on October 11. Israel accused Hamas of multiple violations, including a rocket-propelled grenade and sniper attack.
Hamas denied the claims, saying it remained committed to the ceasefire and had no contact with local armed groups in Rafah.
Hamas official Izzat Al Risheq said Israel had repeatedly broken the truce, while Gaza’s government media office accused Israeli forces of 47 violations since the deal was signed, killing 38 and injuring 143.
Rafah crossing remains shut
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed, deepening the humanitarian crisis. Israel said it will not reopen the crossing until Hamas returns the remaining bodies of 28 deceased hostages.
Hamas said it has handed over all 20 living captives and 12 of the dead but needs time and equipment to retrieve others still buried under rubble.
The closure has halted aid deliveries to an enclave already facing famine-level hunger, according to global monitors.
Uncertain future for Trump’s peace plan
The renewed violence casts doubt on the 20-point peace plan brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, which aimed to end the war.
Key questions remain unresolved, from Hamas’s disarmament and Gaza’s governance to the creation of a Palestinian state and an international stabilisation force.
The U.S. State Department has yet to comment, as markets in Tel Aviv dropped nearly 2% amid fears of another escalation.
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U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent cr...
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Double world champion Max Langenhan delivered a dominant performance to win men’s luge singles gold on Sunday (8 February), breaking the track record four consecutive times as Germany extended its grip on the sport, now winning four of the past five Olympic titles.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
Hamas has strongly condemned new Israeli government decisions to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning the measures pose an “existential threat” to Palestinians and are designed to consolidate Israeli control over the territory.
India’s trade minister said diversifying energy imports and expanding purchases of advanced technology from the United States would serve New Delhi’s strategic interests, as the two countries move closer to finalising a long-awaited trade agreement.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday (7 January), stressing that such action should not be seen as targeting the countries hosting those bases.
Several avalanches struck northern Italy on Saturday, killing at least three people, as rescue officials warned the death toll could rise with unstable conditions persisting across the Alps.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner visited the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea on Saturday after completing a round of talks with Iran.
Hamas has strongly condemned new Israeli government decisions to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning the measures pose an “existential threat” to Palestinians and are designed to consolidate Israeli control over the territory.
Two adjoining buildings collapsed in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, on Sunday (4 February), killing at least six people and trapping an unspecified number beneath the rubble, according to security sources.
The Board of Peace created by U.S. President Donald Trump will hold its first leaders meeting on 19 February in Washington, a U.S. government official confirmed, marking the board's formal debut after weeks of global scrutiny.
Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday, a date brought forward as indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Oman restart and Tehran presses its enrichment rights while ruling out missile negotiations.
Saudi Arabia and Syria have signed agreements worth about $5.3bn aimed at boosting cooperation across aviation, telecommunications and water infrastructure, marking one of the largest economic initiatives since Syria’s leadership change.
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