Web Desk; The fragile ceasefire in Gaza faced a major setback on Sunday after Israel suspended the entry of humanitarian aid “until further notice,” accusing Hamas of violating the truce.
According to AP, Israeli forces carried out multiple air strikes across the Gaza Strip, raising fears that the conflict could resume after a brief lull.
An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move came just over a week after the US-brokered truce began, ending nearly two years of fighting.
The Israeli military alleged that its soldiers came under fire in southern Gaza, leading to the deaths of two troops. In response, Israel launched retaliatory strikes that killed at least 29 Palestinians, including several children.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to respond “strongly” to any ceasefire breaches but stopped short of announcing a return to full-scale war.
Egyptian officials said Cairo was holding “round-the-clock” talks to ease tensions and preserve the truce.
Hamas, accusing Israel of multiple violations, said it had lost contact with its units in Rafah and denied responsibility for any incidents inside Israeli-controlled areas.
Deadly strikes were reported across Gaza, including a coffeehouse in Zawaida town, where six people were killed, and in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where at least eight were injured.
Additional casualties were reported in Bureij and Khan Younis, where entire families were among the victims.
Meanwhile, Israel confirmed the identification of the remains of two hostages — an Israeli man and a Thai worker — returned overnight by Hamas. Over the past week, Hamas has handed over the bodies of 12 hostages, but dozens remain missing.
Hamas negotiators arrived in Cairo to discuss the next phase of the ceasefire, expected to focus on disarmament, Israeli troop withdrawals from additional areas, and postwar governance of Gaza.
The Rafah crossing — closed since May when Israel seized its Gaza side — remains a central obstacle in the talks.
The ongoing conflict has killed more than 68,000 Palestinians and around 1,200 Israelis since October 2023, leaving Gaza in ruins and largely uninhabitable.