Israel conducted airstrikes in various parts of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 individuals, as confirmed by Palestinian officials. The Israeli military stated that the airstrikes were a response to violations of the ceasefire agreement by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
According to Gaza medics, one Israeli airstrike targeted a tent encampment housing displaced families, resulting in the deaths of at least four people. Health officials reported that another strike in Khan Younis in the southern part of Gaza killed five individuals, while one person was shot dead in the north. Additionally, 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 condemned Israel, accusing them of perpetrating a new “massacre” against displaced Palestinians, which he deemed a serious violation of the ceasefire just days before the scheduled meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace.” An Israeli military official defended the airstrikes as “precise” and compliant with international law, citing repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement by Hamas since October.
Since the ceasefire agreement began, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli actions, while Israel confirmed the loss of four soldiers due to militant activities in Gaza during the same period. Both Israel and Hamas have traded accusations regarding violations of the ceasefire, a crucial component of Trump’s initiative to resolve the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas began when Hamas initiated an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in over 1,200 casualties according to Israeli reports. Subsequently, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have led to the deaths of more than 72,000 individuals, as per data from the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The Israeli military justified its recent actions by stating that Hamas breached the ceasefire agreement by sending militants across the agreed-upon boundary into Israeli-controlled territory. Israel emphasized that Hamas’s actions were a direct violation of the ceasefire terms. Hamas, on the other hand, has not complied with demands to disarm, a requirement outlined in the ceasefire agreement.
Amidst these developments, the international community, including Trump’s “Board of Peace,” is set to convene to address the situation in Gaza. Trump is expected to unveil a significant reconstruction plan for Gaza and propose the establishment of a United Nations-authorized stabilization force for the region during the upcoming meeting in Washington, D.C.
In a separate incident, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) decided to suspend non-critical medical operations at Nasser Hospital in Gaza due to security concerns related to the presence of armed individuals. The hospital, a vital healthcare facility in Khan Younis, asserted that the security measures taken, including the deployment of civilian police, were necessary to protect patients and staff from potential threats.
Nasser Hospital staff and MSF have reported instances of armed men causing disruptions within the hospital compound, prompting the suspension of certain medical services. The hospital’s location in an area dominated by Hamas has heightened security risks, necessitating the presence of armed civilian police to maintain order and safeguard medical operations.