Israel conducted airstrikes in various locations across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, resulting in the death of at least 11 individuals, as reported by Palestinian officials. The Israeli military stated that the airstrikes were a response to ceasefire breaches by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
According to Gaza medics, a strike on a tent encampment that housed displaced families resulted in the deaths of at least four people. Additionally, health officials reported that another strike in Khan Younis claimed the lives of five individuals, and one person was shot dead in the northern region. Furthermore, airstrikes targeted a suspected commander of the Islamic Jihad group, an ally of Hamas, in Gaza City’s Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem accused Israel of perpetrating a new “massacre” against displaced Palestinians, labeling it a significant violation of the ceasefire just days before the inaugural meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace.” In response, an Israeli military official defended the airstrikes as “precise” and compliant with international law, citing repeated violations of the October ceasefire agreement by Hamas.
Since the ceasefire agreement came into effect, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli actions, while Israel acknowledged the loss of four soldiers due to Gaza-based militants. Israel and Hamas have engaged in mutual accusations regarding ceasefire violations, a critical component of Trump’s strategy to resolve the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in over 1,200 casualties according to Israeli figures. Subsequently, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have led to the deaths of more than 72,000 individuals, based on data from the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The Israeli military initiated strikes in response to what it termed as Hamas’s explicit breach of the ceasefire agreement in the Beit Hanoun area. The military official highlighted that militants had breached the agreed “yellow line” separating Israeli and Hamas-controlled territories by emerging from a tunnel on the Israeli side.
Despite Israel’s unilateral extension of the yellow line into Gaza, Hamas has refused to disarm as stipulated in the ceasefire deal. Hamas spokesperson Qassem urged participants at Trump’s Board of Peace meeting to pressure Israel to adhere to the truce and implement the agreement promptly.
In a separate development, Gaza’s Nasser Hospital criticized Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for suspending most of its services due to security concerns related to armed individuals within the facility. The hospital confirmed the presence of civilian police for security purposes and denounced MSF’s decision as unfounded and jeopardizing the hospital’s operations.
Nasser Hospital, a vital healthcare facility in Khan Younis, has been pivotal in treating numerous patients and war-wounded individuals daily, serving as a significant hub for released Palestinian prisoners. MSF cited security breaches, including encounters with armed individuals, as grounds for suspending non-critical medical operations at the hospital.
The hospital staff emphasized the necessity of an armed civilian police presence due to repeated attacks by armed groups and militias. While Hamas retains control in areas outside Israeli jurisdiction, other armed factions have emerged in Gaza post-conflict, some allegedly supported by the Israeli military in the controlled region.
