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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