Attacks were carried out in Rafah in response to alleged violations of the ceasefire
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday said it carried out large-scale strikes against Hamas targets in Rafah in southern Gaza following alleged violations of the ceasefire reached earlier this month.
According to the IDF, militants on Sunday fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward troops operating to dismantle “terrorist infrastructure” in the area “in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.” Israeli troops responded with several airstrikes on what it called terror targets.
“The IDF has begun striking in the area to eliminate the threat and dismantle tunnel shafts and military structures used for terrorist activity,” the military said in a statement. It also claimed that several attacks by alleged Hamas militants took place on Friday and Saturday. “These terrorist actions constitute a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, and the IDF will respond firmly.”
According to a military source cited by The Times of Israel, more than 20 targets have been struck so far since the alleged attack in Rafah in the morning.
After being briefed on the situation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the IDF “to take firm action against terror targets in the Gaza Strip,” according to a statement from his office.
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that “Hamas will learn today the hard way that the IDF is determined to protect its soldiers and to prevent any harm to them.” According to a military source, more than 20 targets have been struck so far since the attack in Rafah this morning.
“Hamas will pay a heavy price for any shooting and violation of the ceasefire, and if the message is not understood, the intensity of the responses will increase,” Katz said in a statement carried by Israeli media.
Hamas’ military wing denied involvement in the Rafah incident. In a statement on social media, it said it lost ties with factions in the area last March.
“We have no information about any incidents or clashes in Rafah, which is under [Israeli] occupation control,” it said. Separately, senior Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq said the group remains committed to the ceasefire, accusing the Israeli “occupation” of violating it and “seeking excuses for its crimes.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Sunday that Israeli attacks had killed at least eight people in the last 24 hours.
Israel and Hamas reached a tentative ceasefire in early October as part of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace initiative. The first phase required Hamas to free all remaining Israeli hostages within 72 hours in return for Palestinian prisoners.
Earlier this week, the group released the final 20 surviving captives and handed over the remains of 12 others, but cited difficulties in recovering all bodies due to widespread destruction in Gaza and continued Israeli control of some areas. West Jerusalem, however, accused Hamas of failing to return the remains of 16 more hostages, while both sides are exchanging accusations of violating the truce.
