Israel conducted airstrikes in Gaza’s Rafah on Sunday, accusing Hamas of breaching the ceasefire agreement. Hamas denied knowledge of the incident in southern Gaza and reiterated its commitment to upholding the ceasefire.
The Israeli military stated that air force jets targeted an area in Rafah after encountering fire from “terrorists.” They claimed that Hamas’s actions were a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.
According to a military official citing the BBC, Hamas launched multiple attacks on Israeli forces beyond the designated ‘yellow line,’ where Israeli troops had withdrawn as part of the US-brokered agreement. Residents in Gaza were advised to stay west of the ‘yellow line.’
The ceasefire agreement, facilitated by US President Donald Trump starting on October 10, aims to end the two-year conflict in Gaza triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023.
In the ongoing first phase of the agreement, 20 hostages have been released, with Israel freeing 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 Gaza detainees. Israel also exchanged 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli hostage’s remains.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported that terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and gunfire at IDF troops working to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in southern Gaza, prompting IDF to respond by targeting the area to neutralize the threat and dismantle militant structures.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed defense officials to take strong action against terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip following intelligence reports of a potential Hamas attack.
The US had warned of an imminent Hamas attack on Gaza, prompting concerns of ceasefire violations. Under Trump’s 20-point ceasefire deal, Hamas is required to disarm and relinquish power to ensure Israel’s security.
Israel’s military operations against Hamas in Gaza began after a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group that resulted in casualties and hostages. Since then, Hamas-run health ministry records show at least 68,000 deaths in Israeli strikes.
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