The Israeli military carried out strikes in Gaza after accusing Hamas of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement, with Israeli officials pointing to a series of attacks on troops since Friday that prompted an IDF response. An Israeli military official confirmed the strikes to Fox News and the Israel Defense Forces later issued a statement saying it was taking action in Gaza to eliminate threats and dismantle infrastructure used for militant activity. Fox News+1
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IDF Statement on Clashes in Rafah
“Earlier today, terrorists fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward IDF troops operating to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the Rafah area, in southern Gaza, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement,” the IDF said, and added that “In response, the IDF has begun striking in the area to eliminate the threat and dismantle tunnel shafts and military structures used for terrorist activity.” Israel reported strikes in both the north and the south of the Gaza Strip following those reported incidents. Fox News+1
Political Directives and Hamas Response
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the defense minister and other security heads to “act forcefully” in reaction to the reported attacks, signaling a directive for robust military steps in response to the alleged ceasefire breaches. Hamas, for its part, denied knowledge of any attacks on Israeli forces and issued a statement asserting continued adherence to the ceasefire, writing “We affirm our full commitment to implementing everything that has been agreed upon, foremost among which is the ceasefire in all areas of the Gaza Strip. We have no knowledge of any events or clashes taking place in the Rafah area.” The group further stated “We have no connection to any events occurring in those areas, nor can we communicate with any of our fighters there if any of them remain alive.” Fox News
Context of Violence and Internal Gaza Clashes
The reported incidents against Israeli troops followed days of fighting inside Gaza between Hamas and rival Palestinian armed groups after the ceasefire took effect. Reuters reported that Hamas executed at least 33 people in recent days in actions described by officials as a campaign to “show strength” after the ceasefire; Israeli sources said most of those killed were from families accused of collaborating with Israel or supporting rival militias. Reuters+1
International Warnings and U S Reaction
The U S Department of State warned that Hamas may plan an attack that would violate the ceasefire and said such an attack “would constitute a direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement and undermine the significant progress achieved through mediation efforts,” adding that “The guarantors demand Hamas uphold its obligations under the ceasefire terms.” The statement emphasized that “The United States and the other guarantors remain resolute in our commitment to ensuring the safety of civilians, maintaining calm on the ground and advancing peace and prosperity for the people of Gaza and the region as a whole.” Separately, President Donald Trump warned on X that continued attacks in Gaza would force U S and Israeli intervention, writing “If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.” Fox News+1
Conclusion Hamas Accused of Breaking Ceasefire Triggers Israeli Strikes
The sequence of reported attacks on Israeli forces, the IDF’s stated retaliatory strikes aimed at tunnel shafts and militant structures, Hamas’s denial of knowledge of clashes in Rafah, Reuters reporting of internal executions in Gaza, and warnings from the U S Department of State and the U S president together describe a rapidly deteriorating situation in which a fragile ceasefire faces immediate tests and political as well as military responses from multiple actors.
