On Sunday, Israel accused Palestinian militants of launching attacks against its forces across the established cease-fire lines in Gaza, prompting immediate retaliatory airstrikes.
This fresh eruption of violence vividly underscores the delicate nature of the truce, which was enacted just over a week ago with the optimistic aim of concluding the two-year conflict. It marks yet another incident in a series of unsettling clashes that have plagued Gaza since the cease-fire began.
According to an Israeli military statement, troops in the southern Gaza region of Rafah were targeted with an anti-tank missile and gunfire by militants. The military unequivocally labeled these actions a “blatant violation” of the cease-fire agreement.
In direct response, Israeli forces initiated strikes in the area, stating their objective was to “eliminate the threat” and dismantle military infrastructure, including tunnel shafts. At the time of reporting, there were no immediate accounts of casualties from either side.
While the military’s statement refrained from naming Hamas specifically, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly attributed the recent escalation to the group. He confirmed consultations with his defense minister and security officials, instructing them to respond with force against militant targets within Gaza.
Conversely, Hamas’s military wing released a statement asserting that it was “unaware of any events or clashes taking place in the Rafah area.” They further clarified that they have had no communication with their fighters in that region since a previous, temporary cease-fire failed in March, thus disavowing “any connection to any events taking place in those areas.”
In a separate communication, Hamas’s military wing reiterated its commitment to upholding the cease-fire.
Izzat al-Rishq, a Hamas official, issued his own statement on Sunday, accusing Israel of persistently violating the truce and inventing “flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes.”
Earlier on Friday, the Israeli military opened fire on a vehicle in northern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least nine individuals, including four children. This information comes from a Gaza rescue service, operating under the territory’s Hamas-run Interior Ministry.
Regarding that particular incident, the Israeli military explained that the vehicle had reportedly crossed a demarcation line, into an area where Israeli forces had retreated as per the cease-fire terms. They added that their troops fired upon the vehicle, deemed “suspicious,” only after it disregarded warning shots.
Despite repeated warnings from the Israeli military for civilians to avoid crossing new demarcation lines or approaching troops in Israeli-controlled zones, many Gazans have found themselves uncertain about entering restricted areas. This confusion often stems from a lack of internet access, perplexing maps, or simply being disoriented within the war-torn enclave.
In the aftermath of Sunday’s violence, hard-line members of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government swiftly demanded a full resumption of Israel’s offensive against Hamas, the militant group responsible for the devastating October 7, 2023, attack that initiated the war.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the ultranationalist Minister of National Security, was vocal in his demand for fighting to resume “at full strength.” He argued that any belief in Hamas’s adherence to the cease-fire agreement was “predictably proving dangerous to our security.”
Notably, Mr. Ben-Gvir was among several far-right ministers who had initially opposed the cease-fire, advocating for continued military action until Hamas was completely dismantled. Despite this opposition, the truce had been approved by a majority of the government.
Currently, Israel maintains control over approximately half of Gaza’s territory and has previously accused Hamas fighters of operating from tunnels situated beneath these Israeli-controlled areas.