A fresh wave of violence has erupted in Gaza, with Israel accusing Palestinian militants of attacks and responding with airstrikes. This latest escalation, occurring just over a week after a cease-fire took effect, highlights the extreme fragility of the truce and casts a shadow over hopes for an end to the two-year conflict.
According to the Israeli military, militants in southern Gaza’s Rafah area launched an anti-tank missile at troops and then opened fire, a clear violation of the cease-fire agreement. Israel retaliated with strikes aimed at neutralizing the threat and dismantling military infrastructure, including tunnel shafts. Additionally, Israeli forces targeted armed militants seen crossing the cease-fire line in northern Gaza.
Gaza’s health ministry reported 14 Palestinian fatalities on Sunday, though it did not specify whether they were combatants or civilians. Israel has not yet commented on any casualties on its side.
Although the Israeli military’s statement refrained from naming Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attributed the renewed violence to the group. He announced that he had instructed his defense minister and security chiefs to take strong action against militant targets in Gaza. Despite the tough talk, there are no indications that Israel intends to abandon the cease-fire entirely.
Hamas’s military wing, however, denied any involvement, stating it was “unaware of any events or clashes taking place in the Rafah area” and that it had lost contact with its fighters there since a previous temporary cease-fire collapsed in March. They reaffirmed their commitment to the current truce.
Separately, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq accused Israel of consistently violating the truce and creating “flimsy pretexts” for its actions. This follows an incident on Friday where Israeli forces fired on a vehicle in northern Gaza, killing at least nine people, including four children, according to local rescue services.
Regarding Friday’s incident, the Israeli military stated the vehicle had crossed a demarcation line where Israeli forces had pulled back as part of the cease-fire. They fired warning shots before targeting the “suspicious” vehicle. Civilians have been repeatedly warned to avoid these new lines, but many Gazans, often disoriented by the devastation and lack of information, have inadvertently entered restricted areas.
Following Sunday’s violence, hard-line members of Netanyahu’s government have called for a full resumption of the offensive against Hamas, the group responsible for the October 7, 2023, attack that initiated the war. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the ultranationalist minister of national security, argued that any belief in Hamas adhering to the cease-fire was “predictably proving dangerous to our security” and demanded fighting resume “at full strength.” Ben-Gvir was a vocal opponent of the cease-fire from the start, advocating for a complete defeat of Hamas.
Israel still controls roughly half of Gaza and claims Hamas fighters operate from tunnels beneath these Israeli-controlled territories. Israeli officials have also expressed frustration with the slow pace of Hamas handing over the remains of deceased captives as part of the truce. Hamas has released the last 20 living Israeli hostages and 12 bodies over the past week. However, a 13th body handed over did not match any identified captives. Israel, in turn, has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and over 100 Palestinian bodies to Gaza.
The Israeli government identified two more bodies handed over Saturday as Ronen Engel, 54, and Sonthaya Oakkharasri, 30, a Thai citizen. Mr. Engel was killed in Nir Oz during the 2023 Hamas attack, and his body was subsequently taken to Gaza. The bodies of 16 other captives reportedly remain in Gaza. Hamas maintains that locating and recovering all remains is challenging due to extensive rubble and the need for heavy equipment.