The Israeli military announced Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza had resumed following a deadly exchange that killed two Israeli soldiers and prompted retaliatory airstrikes, which Palestinian sources say left 26 people dead. The escalation marks the most serious test yet of the truce brokered earlier this month by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The renewed violence erupted after militants fired an anti-tank missile and opened fire on Israeli troops, triggering a wave of Israeli strikes targeting Hamas field commanders, gunmen, tunnels, and weapons depots. Among the casualties were at least one woman and one child, with one strike reportedly hitting a former school sheltering displaced families in Nuseirat.
President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, maintained that the ceasefire remains in effect and suggested that Hamas leadership may not have sanctioned the attacks. โWe think maybe the leadership isnโt involved in that,โ he said. โEither way โฆ itโs going to be handled toughly but properly.โ
Trump said he could not yet confirm whether the Israeli response was justified. His envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner are expected to arrive in Israel on Monday for consultations.
The armed wing of Hamas reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire and claimed it had no knowledge of the clashes in Rafah, nor contact with groups operating there since March. U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the fragmented nature of Hamas, noting that roughly 40 cells exist and that many lack centralized control or disarmament oversight.
โSome of those cells will probably honor the ceasefire. Many of those cells, as we saw some evidence of today, will not,โ Vance said, adding that regional forces may be needed to enforce security on the ground.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a forceful response to what he described as Hamasโ violations of the truce. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military would physically mark the โyellow lineโ delineating Israeli withdrawal zones and warned that any breach would be met with fire.
The ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, halted two years of war but has faced repeated challenges. Both sides have accused each other of violations, and the dispute over the return of deceased hostages has further strained relations. Hamas has returned 20 live hostages and 12 of the 28 deceased, but says specialized equipment is needed to recover bodies buried under rubble.
Israel has kept the Rafah border crossing closed, citing Hamasโ slow compliance with ceasefire terms. The crossing, a vital conduit for humanitarian aid, has been largely shut since May 2024. Aid deliveries through other routes had increased since the truce began, but were halted Sunday following the latest violence. An Israeli security source said aid was expected to resume Monday under U.S. pressure.
The United Nations has warned that far more assistance is needed, with hundreds of thousands in Gaza affected by famine conditions, according to the IPC global hunger monitor.
Despite the ceasefireโs reinstatement, the path to lasting peace remains uncertain. Key issuesโincluding Hamasโ disarmament, the future governance of Gaza, the composition of an international stabilization force, and steps toward Palestinian statehoodโremain unresolved.
