Israel has once again violated the ceasefire by launching deadly airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip, killing at least 18 Palestinians and injuring more than 50 others, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
The escalation began after an Israeli soldier was injured in a gunfight in southern Rafah. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a large-scale assault on Gaza. Israeli fighter jets and drones then carried out heavy bombardments across multiple areas of the enclave.
According to Al Jazeera, an Israeli strike on a residential building in Sabra, northern Gaza City, killed four people, while five others were killed in Khan Younis in the south. Missiles also struck near Al-Shifa Hospital, spreading panic among civilians as Israeli aircraft continued to hover over Gaza.
Meanwhile, Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, has accused Israel of a “clear violation of the ceasefire.” The group announced the suspension of the handover process of one hostage’s body, warning that any further Israeli provocations could delay the recovery of the remaining 13 hostages’ bodies.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said that the ceasefire technically remains in place despite sporadic clashes. “That doesn’t mean there won’t be isolated incidents. We know Hamas or someone attacked an Israeli soldier in Gaza, and Israel will likely respond—but we believe overall stability will hold,” he stated.
Hamas, however, denied involvement in the Rafah incident and condemned Israel’s latest attacks as a “blatant breach of the ceasefire.” The group reiterated that it remains committed to the truce and demanded an immediate halt to Israeli aggression.