Israel persists in violating the Gaza ceasefire with deadly attacks
Gaza authorities report that around 100 Palestinians have been killed since the truce took effect on October 10
Israel has continued carrying out air strikes and shootings in Gaza, fueling concerns over the durability of its fragile ceasefire with Hamas, even as US envoys intensify diplomatic efforts to salvage the deal.
The Palestinian Civil Defense agency reported that four people were killed in two separate incidents, both times “by Israeli gunfire as they were returning to check on their homes” in the al-Shaaf area, east of the Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City. The Israeli military claimed it fired at militants who had crossed the “yellow line” of demarcation near the Shujayea neighborhood, adjacent to Tuffah, and allegedly posed a threat to its soldiers.
The yellow line outlined in a map released by US President Donald Trump on October 4- marks the boundary behind which Israeli forces withdrew under the ceasefire agreement. However, residents say the area’s destruction has made it impossible to identify any visible boundary. “The whole area is in ruins. We saw the maps but can’t tell where those lines are,” said Samir, a 50-year-old resident of Tuffah.
Despite the truce, violence has persisted since the US-brokered ceasefire began on October 10, leaving at least 97 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza officials.
On Sunday, Israeli air raids killed 42 people, including children, according to Gaza health authorities. Israel said the attacks were a response to a truce violation by Hamas fighters, who allegedly shot and killed two Israeli soldiers in Rafah. Hamas denied involvement, stating it has no communication with its remaining units in Israeli-controlled Rafah and accusing Israel of fabricating “pretexts” to restart the war.
The group, which has already released 20 living Israeli captives, said it was still working to hand over the remaining bodies but faced “major challenges due to the extensive destruction” in Gaza. On Monday, the Red Cross transferred the body of a 13th deceased captive from Hamas to the Israeli military, according to the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel briefly threatened to block humanitarian aid into Gaza on Sunday but later said it would continue enforcing the ceasefire. A UN spokesperson confirmed that aid deliveries had resumed, though details on the volume were unclear.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reported on Monday that Israeli forces were still blocking aid convoys at several checkpoints, despite them carrying urgently needed humanitarian supplies. He added that Israeli strikes had hit eastern Khan Younis that same day, deepening fears that the ceasefire might collapse.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, stressed on X (formerly Twitter) that “the fragile ceasefire in Gaza must be upheld,” calling for investigations into “blatant breaches” of international humanitarian law.
Meanwhile, Washington has stepped up efforts to sustain the agreement. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner met with Netanyahu in Israel on Monday, while US Vice President JD Vance and his wife are expected to arrive Tuesday for further talks.
The next stage of the ceasefire reportedly involves disarming Hamas, additional Israeli withdrawals, and forming an internationally backed “board of peace” to oversee Gaza’s governance. Egypt also hosted Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya in Cairo on Monday to discuss implementation steps.
Hamas and allied factions, however, reject any foreign administration of Gaza as envisioned in the Trump plan and have resisted demands to disarm, posing potential challenges to the deal.
Speaking on the issue, Trump appeared to blame Hamas for the recent violations, claiming the group was dealing with “rebellion within its ranks.” “They have to be good, and if they’re not good, they’ll be eradicated,” he warned, while emphasizing that the US would not deploy troops on the ground.
Since the truce took effect, Hamas security forces have reappeared on Gaza’s streets, clashing with rival groups and targeting suspected gang leaders. Trump previously commented that Hamas had eliminated “a couple of gangs that were very bad—very, very bad gangs,” adding, “That didn’t bother me much, to be honest. That’s OK.”
Watch This Important Video
