Israel Launches Strikes on Gaza as Ceasefire Accusations Escalate
Gaza City - Israel has conducted airstrikes in Gaza, hours after both Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas accused each other of violating the recently agreed-upon ceasefire.The renewed hostilities raise concerns about the fragility of the truce and the potential for a resurgence of wider conflict impacting the two million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.
The escalating tensions follow a period of relative calm brokered with U.S. assistance, but the situation remains volatile. Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip sence 2007,and the current ceasefire aimed to halt the ongoing cycle of violence between the group and Israel. Recent developments,however,suggest a breakdown in adherence to the agreement.
Over the last week, the Trump administration’s position regarding armed activity by Hamas appeared to shift. On Monday, while onboard Air Force One, President Trump responded to questions about the ceasefire’s progress and the presence of Hamas-armed internal security forces in Gaza, stating he had seen pictures and that the US had given “approval for a period of time” to stop “big crime” and other “problems”.
The following day, Trump claimed Hamas had “said they were going to disarm”, adding that “initially… they did take out a couple of gangs that were vrey bad; very, very bad gangs… And that didn’t bother me much, to be honest with you. That’s OK.” it remains unclear which incidents Trump was referencing, though violent clashes had previously erupted between Hamas and rival Palestinian armed groups, some of whom Hamas accused of collaborating with Israel.Reports included a video showing Hamas gunmen carrying out a public execution of several bound and blindfolded men.
By Wednesday,the administration began to more directly address the situation,urging Hamas to “immediately suspend violence and shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians” in Hamas-held areas and beyond the “yellow line” of IDF withdrawal. A senior US official stated the administration was working with Israel to create “space” in the IDF-held area, describing it as a “safe zone” for ”people who feel a threat.” The official’s comments appeared to suggest a potential conflation of protecting civilians and providing a protected zone for Hamas’s armed rivals.
