Israeli military launches attack on Gaza, straining ceasefire
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The news: The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said that it launched an attack on Rafah in Gaza on Sunday, citing a “blatant violation” of ceasefire by Hamas, further dimming hopes that the US mediated ceasefire will hold.
The context: Israel’s public broadcaster Kan said on Sunday morning local time that the air force was striking targets in Rafah, while other news outlets reported attacks in other parts of southern Gaza and in Jabalia in the enclave’s north.
An Israeli military official said on Sunday that Hamas carried out multiple attacks on Israeli forces in the enclave, including a rocket-propelled grenade attack and a sniper attack against Israeli soldiers.
The Rafah strikes were aimed at protecting members of the Israeli-backed group Yasser Abu Shabab militia, the Israeli Channel 12 reported, while the Palestinian outlet Quds Network, citing an unnamed security source, said a Hamas-led internal security unit had carried out an operation targeting a hideout belonging to the Yasser Abu Shabab group east of Rafah, shortly before the Israeli airstrikes began. The Times of Israel said “terror operatives in the Gaza Strip launched an attack on Israeli forces in Rafah,” prompting the strikes.
Hamas said that despite the attacks it remained committed to the truce and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of using “flimsy pretexts” to justify violating the ceasefire.
Far-right Israeli politician Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Netanyahu to resume attacks on Gaza with maximum force, writing on X: “ “I call on the prime minister to order the IDF to fully resume combat in the Gaza Strip with maximum force. The false illusions that Hamas will change its ways, or even adhere to the agreement it signed, are proving, as expected, to be dangerous to our security. The Nazi terrorist organization must be completely destroyed – and the sooner, the better.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Avigdor Liberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beytenu opposition party, also called for a resumption of fighting in Gaza.
The attacks come as Netanyahu proposed that the war in Gaza be renamed “the War of Revival” from “Swords of Iron.” On Saturday, Netanyahu said that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza would remain closed until further notice and that its reopening depends on Hamas handing over the remaining bodies of deceased Israeli hostages.
The strikes on Sunday mark the most significant threat to the peace plan which was brokered 10 days ago by US President Donald Trump, in efforts to end the two-year war between Hamas and Israel.
The sources: Reuters, FT, WSJ, Times of Israel, i24 News Israel , IDF X, KAN
