On Sunday, October 19, 2025, Israeli forces initiated fresh attacks on Gaza, as confirmed by Israeli media outlets and local residents. This development has significantly dampened any hopes for a durable peace in the region, especially following a recent U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Both Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have since been engaged in a blame game over the renewed hostilities.
These Sunday assaults represent the most significant challenge yet to the delicate ceasefire agreement, which had only been in effect since October 11.
Residents across Gaza reported widespread explosions and gunfire. Specifically, Palestinians in the southern city of Rafah informed Reuters of ongoing violence, while witnesses in the eastern town of Abassan, near Khan Younis, described intense shelling from Israeli tanks.
Early Sunday afternoon, a series of airstrikes targeted Rafah, clearly audible to those in nearby Khan Younis.
When approached for confirmation regarding these attacks, an Israeli government spokesperson directed inquiries to the military, which, at the time, offered no immediate comment.
Northern Gaza Sees Airstrikes
Health officials in Gaza reported that two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza on Sunday.
According to The Times of Israel, the military launched airstrikes in the Rafah area in response to militant attacks on their forces, though the source of this information was not specified.
An Israeli military official stated on Sunday that Hamas had conducted several attacks against Israeli forces within Gaza, including both a rocket-propelled grenade assault and a sniper attack targeting Israeli soldiers.
The official emphasized, ‘Both incidents occurred in an Israeli-controlled territory. This constitutes a blatant breach of the ceasefire agreement.’
Meanwhile, Izzat Al Risheq, a senior Hamas official, affirmed the group’s continued commitment to the ceasefire, while simultaneously accusing Israel of persistent violations.
Interestingly, neither Al Risheq nor the Israeli military official explicitly addressed the reported Israeli strikes in Gaza that took place on Sunday.
On Saturday, Gaza’s government media office claimed Israel had committed 47 ceasefire violations since the deal, resulting in 38 deaths and 143 injuries. The statement detailed, ‘These violations encompass direct shootings at civilians, intentional shelling, targeted operations, and the arrest of numerous civilians.’
Rafah Crossing Remains Shut
For days, both the Israeli government and Hamas have been trading accusations of ceasefire violations. In response, Israel has declared that the Rafah border crossing, connecting Gaza and Egypt, will remain closed indefinitely.
The Rafah crossing has been predominantly closed since May 2024. A crucial component of the ceasefire agreement was the increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, a region where, as of August, hundreds of thousands are facing famine, according to the IPC global hunger monitor.
A significant point of contention between Israel and Hamas revolves around the repatriation of deceased hostages’ bodies. Israel insists that Hamas must hand over the remains of all 28 hostages. While Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages and 12 deceased individuals, they claim no desire to retain the remaining bodies. However, the group states that recovering corpses buried under rubble requires considerable effort and specialized equipment.
Substantial challenges persist in the path toward a lasting resolution. Critical issues such as Hamas’s disarmament, the future governance of Gaza, the composition of an international ‘stabilization force,’ and steps towards establishing a Palestinian state all remain unresolved.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, when contacted for comment, directed all inquiries to the State Department.
The resurgence of conflict in Gaza, coupled with anxieties surrounding the ceasefire’s future, led to a nearly 2% drop in key Tel Aviv share indices on Sunday.