Israel strikes Gaza and orders halt to aid after accusing Hamas of violating ceasefire

CNN

By Tal Shalev, Mostafa Salem, Oren Liebermann, and Ibrahim Dahman

(CNN) — Israel carried out several strikes on Gaza and ordered a halt to humanitarian aid after accusing Hamas of violating a US-brokered ceasefire.

The truce that ended months of fighting is in its second week and has seen previous accusations from both sides of violations but is now facing its most serious test yet.

An Israeli military official said Hamas attacked Israeli forces in Rafah in southern Gaza with rocket-propelled grenades and sniper fire, prompting Israel to carry out strikes in the area.

Hamas fired towards Israeli forces beyond the Yellow Line – the line behind which Israeli troops have withdrawn according to the ceasefire deal – in three separate incidents Sunday, according to another military official.

One source familiar with the incident in Rafah said Israeli forces had suffered casualties.

Hospitals and witnesses reported at least eight people were killed in Israeli strikes in several parts of Gaza.

An Israeli official later said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered a halt in aid until further notice.

Earlier this year, a UN-backed initiative said parts of Gaza were facing famine and the truce raised hopes of a surge in humanitarian aid to the territory.

Hamas said in a statement Sunday that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement. Its military wing, Al Qassam Brigades (AQB), denied knowledge of “any events or clashes” in Rafah and said they are committed to the truce “throughout all areas of the Gaza Strip.”

Netanyahu held a security consultation with defense minister Israel Katz and military chiefs on Sunday, instructing them to “act forcefully” against “terrorist targets” in Gaza.

“Hamas will pay a heavy price for every shooting and violation of the ceasefire, and if the message is not understood, the intensity of our responses will continue to increase,” Katz said in a statement.

Netanyahu faces pressure to respond to any violations from far-right parties supporting his coalition.

Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, welcomed the halt in aid. “This aid should not be resumed – the war should – and as soon as possible,” he wrote on X.

Amid the renewed strikes, the AQB said it found the body of another Israeli hostage during ongoing search operations, “and will hand it over today if field conditions permit.”

The AQB warned that any escalation by the Israeli military would “hinder search, excavation, and the recovery of bodies.”

Hamas clashes with rivals

While much is unknown about the incident in Rafah, it occurred on Sunday morning as Hamas said its internal Rada’a security force was targeting a “hideout” of an Israel-backed militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab. In June, Israel confirmed it was arming several such militias in an attempt to counter Hamas.

Muhammad Shehada, a Gaza expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said these militias now operate from within Israeli-occupied areas in Gaza from which they “descend on the other half of Gaza, carry out attacks, then go run back to those protected areas.”

Since the ceasefire began last week, Hamas has carried out what it has called a “security campaign” aimed at “collaborators, mercenaries, thieves, bandits, and those cooperating with the Zionist enemy throughout the Gaza Strip.”

The internal clashes have created a volatile security situation in the battered enclave with violence erupting between Hamas and rival groups in several areas across Gaza, including an incident that culminated in an apparent public execution of eight people in a square in Gaza City while large crowds were watching.

Sunday’s incident brought further strain to the ceasefire, with the next steps still unresolved.

Israel has shot and killed Palestinians it accused of approaching the Yellow Line, in what Hamas has called a “flagrant violation” of the ceasefire commitments. Israel has also accused Hamas of delaying the return of all of the deceased hostages held in Gaza as required by the deal, and has closed a key border crossing until further notice.

Hamas has returned 12 of the 28 bodies of deceased hostages in line with the ceasefire agreement with Israel, which went into effect last week. All 12 have now been formally identified.

This story has been updated with additional information and context.

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