As-salamu alaykum - Israel hits Gaza, aid paused as both sides accuse the other of breaking truce
As-salamu alaykum. Please keep the people of Gaza in your duas.
Israel launched a new round of air strikes in southern Gaza on Sunday, threatening the fragile US-brokered ceasefire meant to pause the two-year war. Israeli forces said they carried out a “massive and extensive wave” of strikes on dozens of targets after reporting that troops came under fire near Rafah - an accusation Hamas denies.
An Israeli security official also told news agencies that humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza would be stopped “until further notice” following the alleged ceasefire breach.
Gaza’s Civil Defence reported that at least 21 Palestinians were killed across the territory on Sunday after multiple air raids. Israeli authorities said two of their soldiers died in combat the same day and said they responded with strikes and artillery fire after being targeted; Hamas’s armed wing maintains it is sticking to the ceasefire.
“We have no knowledge of clashes in the Rafah area...contact with our remaining groups there has been cut off,” the Qassam Brigades said. Meanwhile people in Gaza told reporters they are terrified the fighting could restart - women and children asking if the war is back on.
Medical sources in Gaza said five people were killed in an attack on az-Zawayda, three were killed in Nuseirat refugee camp, and earlier at least two were killed in northern Gaza, among other reported casualties.
Back in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met security officials and ordered the military to take “strong action” against any ceasefire violations. Some Israeli ministers called for a full return to combat, while other political figures urged keeping all options open.
Analysts warned the episode shows how fragile the truce is and how quickly it can unravel. The US State Department said it had “credible reports” that Hamas might imminently break the ceasefire - a claim Hamas rejected as false and part of misleading propaganda meant to justify continued aggression.
Hamas accused Israel of backing armed groups in areas under Israeli control and called on the US to pressure Israel to stop supporting those groups. A Hamas delegation went to Cairo on Sunday to follow up with mediators and other Palestinian factions about implementing the ceasefire.
The strikes came as Israel identified the remains of two captives released by Hamas overnight. Netanyahu’s office named them as Ronen Engel and Sonthaya Oakkharasri. Hamas said it had located another captive’s body and would transfer it if conditions allowed. So far, 12 of the 28 captives’ bodies still in Gaza have been returned to Israel; both sides say they are committed to parts of the deal but blame each other and operational obstacles for delays.
This escalation has made the situation very tense again. May Allah grant safety to the innocent and ease the suffering of those affected.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news