The Israeli Air Force is currently attacking Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, from the air, as well as Jabalia despite the ceasefire in Gaza, according to Israeli media reports and a local source on the scene has confirmed to EFE.
This is not the first time that Israel has broken the ceasefire agreement; this week it has violated the truce 47 times: this Saturday it bombed a bus, killing eleven civilians. In total, 38 people, including several boys and girls, while the Rafah crossing is still blocked.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered this Sunday “to act vigorously against terrorist targets” in Gaza. “Following the violation of the ceasefire by Hamas, Prime Minister Netanyahu held a consultation with the Minister of Defense and the heads of the security system, and ordered strong action against terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip,” his Office said in a statement.
Israel had previously accused Hamas of carrying out “multiple attacks” against its forces. According to Gazan health sources, the Israeli attacks have left at least eight dead and three injured.
The Israeli military has released a statement saying that Hamas militants fired at Israeli troops working “to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the Rafah area.” “In response, the IDF has begun striking in the area to eliminate the threat and dismantle tunnels and military structures used for terrorist activities,” they say, before adding that they consider these actions “a violation of the ceasefire.”
In a video to which EFE had access, hills of smoke can be seen in the distance on the eastern side of Rafah, where according to another local source several Israeli helicopters have landed in order to evacuate possible wounded soldiers.
The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that a total of eight people have been killed and three have been injured as a result of the attacks by the Israeli Army this Sunday. In addition, ten bodies have been recovered from the rubble of the Gaza Strip.
According to a source from the armed wing of Hamas, the group had begun an operation in Rafah to eliminate Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of the rival militia known as the ‘Popular Forces’, financed by Israel. But Israeli soldiers interceded to support Shabab, initiating cross attacks and causing an Israeli bulldozer to explode.
“The Zionist occupation continues to violate the agreement and seek unfounded pretexts to justify its crimes,” declared Hamas leader Izzat al Rishq in a statement published on the Islamist militia’s official Telegram channel. “Netanyahu’s attempts to evade and renege on his commitments come under pressure from his extremist and terrorist coalition, in an attempt to evade his responsibilities to mediators and guarantors,” he added.
Furthermore, the armed group points out in a statement that it has “no connection” with the events that took place this morning in these areas, and highlights that they are under Israeli control and that they cannot communicate “with any of our fighters there.”
Yesterday, the US State Department already warned that it had “credible information” indicating that Hamas was planning “an imminent violation” of the ceasefire in an alleged planned attack against Palestinian civilians. This morning, Hamas rejected that accusation and blamed Israel for arming and financing those other militias that, it said, carried out “murders, kidnappings, theft of aid trucks and robberies against civilians.”
US Vice President JD Vance and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff will arrive in Israel this Monday. There they will discuss Israel’s accusations that Hamas is violating the ceasefire agreement. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will also be present at the meetings.
Meanwhile, the Rafah crossing remains closed and will remain so until further notice, as confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said that he will only reopen it if Hamas hands over all the bodies of the deceased hostages. This Saturday night, Hamas said in a statement that the decision represents a “flagrant violation of the ceasefire” and the pact.
Ben Gvir urges to resume the offensive
The far-right minister Itamar Ben Givr urged Netanyahu this Sunday to resume his offensive against the Gaza Strip: “I urge the prime minister to order the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to fully resume fighting in the Gaza Strip with full force,” the minister, convicted in the past of inciting hatred against the Palestinians, said in X. vandalism and support for terrorism.
“This terrorist Nazi group must be destroyed as soon as possible,” he added.
For his part, the Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, alluded with a single word to what he considers the appropriate response from Israel: “War,” he published half an hour ago on his X account.
Opposition deputy Avigdor Lieberman stated that “in the Middle East, there is only one language: force” and noted that Hamas is “testing the limits” because “there are those who allow it.”
Israel returns 15 bodies of Palestinians to Gaza with signs of torture
The Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip announced this Sunday that it had received another 15 bodies of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, which once again show signs of torture, according to a statement from the ministry.
“The Ministry of Health announces the receipt of 15 bodies of martyrs, released today by the Israeli occupation and the Red Cross, which brings the total number of bodies received to 150,” the institution warned, adding that “some bodies show signs of mistreatment, beatings, handcuffs and bandages (on their eyes).”
Although the identification work continues at the Nasser Hospital by its teams, Health warns that it is the families themselves who have identified 25 of the bodies. Given the serious deterioration suffered by the bodies that Israel delivers, Health has had to enable a website so that families can identify themselves and try to find their loved ones among the images of the corpses.
The Nasser hospital also organized in-person recognition sessions, showing groups of family members the images on screens so that some could recognize their loved ones among the photographs of the destroyed and decomposed bodies.
Source: www.eldiario.es
