Israel launched airstrikes in opposition to Hamas targets in Gaza and suspended all help shipments on Sunday (October 19), accusing the militant group of violating a fragile ceasefire by staging a lethal ambush that killed two Israeli troopers in Rafah.
The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) stated the assault represented a “blatant violation of the ceasefire settlement,” prompting a large-scale retaliation in opposition to what it described as “Hamas terror targets.”
‘Blatant violation’ of ceasefire
In a press release, the IDF stated it struck “dozens of Hamas terror targets,” together with weapons depots, firing positions, and command posts.
“We responded to a blatant violation of the ceasefire,” the military stated, including that six kilometers (3.7 miles) of underground tunnels have been destroyed utilizing greater than 120 munitions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he had ordered the army “to take sturdy motion in opposition to terrorist targets within the Gaza Strip.”
Palestinian officers stated a minimum of 5 folks have been killed within the strikes, which prolonged as far north as Gaza Metropolis.
Help suspended, Rafah crossing closed
Israel has additionally halted all help transfers into Gaza “till additional discover”, an Israeli safety official informed the Related Press. The Rafah border crossing with Egypt—beforehand anticipated to reopen this week—will stay closed indefinitely, officers stated.
Protection Minister Israel Katz warned that any try by Hamas to breach the ceasefire line would provoke army fireplace.
“The yellow line will probably be bodily marked,” he stated. “Any violation or try to cross will probably be met with fireplace.”
Hamas denies violations, blames Israel
Hamas denied orchestrating the Rafah assault and stated it remained dedicated to the truce.
“It appears the occupation continues to violate the settlement and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes,” stated Hamas official Ezzat al-Risheq on Telegram.
The group’s armed wing stated it was “unaware of any incidents or clashes in Rafah,” including that it was “dedicated to all that has been agreed upon together with a ceasefire in all areas in Gaza.”
Hamas later introduced it had recovered the physique of one other Israeli hostage, which it might hand over “if situations enable.”
US monitoring state of affairs intently
The renewed violence comes as US mediators, together with Vice President JD Vance and senior envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, put together to journey to the area to protect the ceasefire deal brokered by President Donald Trump on October 10.
Trump’s peace plan, backed by a number of Arab and Western governments, envisions Hamas disarming and ceding management of Gaza to a foreign-supervised Palestinian administration—a situation Hamas has resisted.
The US State Division warned on Saturday that it had “credible experiences indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas,” although the group dismissed the declare as “false and aligned with Israeli propaganda.”
Path to peace stays fragile
Although the ceasefire halted two years of bloodshed, mutual accusations now threaten to unravel it.
Hamas says Israeli strikes have killed 46 Palestinians in latest days, whereas Israel insists it has acted solely to forestall incursions throughout the ceasefire line.
“The way forward for Gaza’s governance, Hamas’s disarmament, and the composition of a world stabilization drive stay unresolved,” a regional diplomat stated, warning that the trail to peace “hangs by a thread.”
