Gaza Ceasefire Threatened as US Accuses Hamas of Planning Imminent Civilian attack
GAZA – The fragile ceasefire in Gaza is under threat as the United States alleges Hamas is preparing an “imminent” attack targeting civilians, raising fears of a renewed escalation in the conflict. The accusation comes amid ongoing hostage negotiations adn reports of continued violence impacting both Israelis and Palestinians.
The current conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen attacked southern israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza, resulting in at least 68,000 Palestinian deaths as of December 23, 2023, according to the Hamas-run health ministry – figures considered reliable by the UN.
Recent developments include the return of the remains of 10 out of 28 deceased hostages to Israel, with two more bodies received from Gaza on Saturday, though their identities remain unconfirmed. Together, violence continues to claim Palestinian lives; on Saturday, 11 members of a single Palestinian family were killed by an Israeli tank shell, according to the Hamas-run civil defense ministry. The Israeli military stated its soldiers fired at a “suspicious vehicle” that allegedly crossed a demarcation line within Gaza, though the vehicle’s precise location and whether it crossed the line remain unclear.
Former US President Donald Trump recently stated on Truth Social that “if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza…we will have no choice but to go in and kill them,” later clarifying he would not deploy US troops.
Concerns over civilian safety are heightened following the authentication of graphic videos by BBC Verify showing a public execution carried out by Hamas gunmen in Gaza, where eight people with their hands tied behind their backs were killed in a crowded square.The identity of the gunmen remains unconfirmed, though some appeared to be wearing green headbands associated with Hamas.
In September, a UN commission of inquiry accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in gaza, a claim Israel “categorically rejected” as “distorted and false.”
