Israel’s military has resumed a ceasefire in Gaza following a collapse of the truce on the weekend when Israel said it launched a series of attacks on Hamas in response to a ceasefire violation by the Palestinian militant group in which two Israeli soldiers were killed, news agencies reported.
Why It Matters
The first part of President Donald Trump‘s 20-part peace plan for Gaza came into force on October 10 and Hamas has handed over the remaining 20 living hostages still held in the strip. Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners. The bodies of 28 deceased hostages are still being returned to Israel.
The renewed clashes on the weekend were the first major test of the ceasefire and cast doubts about the next phase of the peace plan.
What To Know
“In accordance with the directive of the political echelon, and following a series of significant strikes in response to Hamas’ violations, the IDF has begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire, in line with the terms of the agreement,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. “The IDF will continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement and will respond firmly to any violation of it.”
On Sunday, the IDF said that “terrorists fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward IDF troops” in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. When contacted for clarification, the military said the statement referred to Hamas operatives.
The IDF said Hamas had started “striking in the area” and this was “a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.” Hamas has said it is committed to the ceasefire and has accused Israel of breaching it.
The Israeli military said that in response to the Hamas attacks it struck “dozens of Hamas terror targets across Gaza,” including “weapons storage facilities, firing posts, terrorist cells and additional Hamas terror infrastructure.”
The strikes killed at least 36 people, The Associated Press reported, citing health authorities in Gaza.
Aid shipments into Gaza, which were suspended on the weekend, were due to resume on Monday, the AP reported.
Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and took 251 more as hostages into Gaza.
Israel’s war in Gaza in the two years since the attack has devastated the territory and killed more than 68,000 people, according to Hamas-run health authorities. Israeli officials say the figures, which don’t distinguish between combatants and civilians, are not reliable, but they are frequently referenced by international officials and agencies.
What People Are Saying
Trump told reporters on Sunday: “We’re going to have to see what’s happening. We want to make sure that it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas.”
What Happens Next
The next stage of the U.S.-brokered deal remains unclear. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Israel on Monday, Reuters reported, while Vice President JD Vance told reporters he too might be going to Israel in the next few days.
This article uses reporting by The Associated Press.