Israel has said it has begun resuming enforcement of the Gaza ceasefire after a wave of strikes on the enclave, having claimed the peace agreement was “violated” by Hamas.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) struck Gaza and said it was halting aid into the enclave on Sunday in response to attacks on its forces that killed two soldiers, in the most serious test yet of this month's US-brokered ceasefire.
Aid into Gaza was set to resume on Monday following US pressure, an Israeli security source said, shortly after Israel announced the halt in supplies in response to what it said was a "blatant" violation by Hamas of the truce.
Residents in Gaza and local health authorities said that Israeli airstrikes and tank fire across the enclave killed at least 26 people, including at least one woman and a child.
The IDF said it struck dozens of Hamas “terror targets” across Gaza, hitting targets such as weapons storage facilities, firing posts and terrorist cells.
It added that it had also dismantled 6km of “underground terrorist infrastructure” used for attacks on Israel following “Hamas’ blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement”.
US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to travel to Israel on Monday, an Israeli official and a US official said.
The IDF had vowed to “respond firmly” after claiming militants in the southern area of Rafah had launched an anti-tank missile and fired on its soldiers.
It said earlier in Sunday that its troops were dismantling “terrorist infrastructure” in the Rafah area in line with the ceasefire agreement when they came under fire. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Hamas’ armed wing said on Sunday that it was unaware of any incidents or clashes in Gaza and reiterated its commitment to all that has been agreed upon, including a ceasefire in all areas of Gaza.
Hamas said in a statement: “We affirm our full commitment to implementing everything that was agreed upon, foremost among which is the ceasefire in all areas of the Gaza Strip. We are unaware of any events or clashes taking place in the Rafah area, as these are red zones under the control of the occupation.
“Contact with our remaining groups there has been cut off since the resumption of war in March of this year. We have no information as to whether they have been martyred or are still alive since that date.
“Therefore, we have no connection to any events taking place in those areas, and we cannot communicate with any of our fighters there, if any of them are still alive.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his military to "act forcefully against terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip".
It comes just days after Hamas and Israel agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire agreement, which was expected to lead to a pause in Israel’s bombardment and the release of the remaining hostages.
Over two years since the brutal and bloody conflict erupted, many Palestinians and Israelis expressed relief that this may mark the first steps toward a long-term peace.
According to US President Donald Trump, who has claimed credit for brokering the agreement, this is a “historic and unprecedented event” that will lead to “strong, durable, and everlasting peace” in the region.
But, according to reports, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has continued. Since Trump's ceasefire plan came into effect, 35 people have been killed, 146 injured and the bodies of 414 deceased people have been recovered, the ministry says.
