Days into truce, 'Israel' breaks Gaza ceasefire with two major violations

As an obvious breach of the ceasefire deal, 'Israel' announced it will not reopen the Rafah border crossing with Gaza tomorrow, directly undermining the agreement despite guarantees from mediators and the United States.

The move comes even as Hamas confirmed to AFP that it intends to return the bodies of four to six captives later Tuesday evening, highlighting the fragile and increasingly precarious nature of the truce.

The 'Israeli' move is also expected to include restrictions on humanitarian aid flow into Gaza as part of sanctions targeting Hamas. 

The second breach came after 'Israel' violated the ceasefire, killing nine Gazans, just one day after President Donald Trump signed the deal in Egypt. According to Quds News Network, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem condemned the attacks, saying, “The killing of civilians in Gaza this morning by 'Israeli' army shelling and gunfire is a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.” Qassem called on mediators and all parties to monitor Israel’s actions and prevent it from evading its obligations.

The Palestinian Media Center reported that five civilians were killed after 'Israeli' quadcopter drones opened fire on residents inspecting their homes in Shujaiya, east Gaza City. Additionally, one civilian was killed and another injured in a similar strike on the town of Al-Fukhari, east of Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza.

The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that the total number of fatalities arriving at hospitals between midnight and noon today reached nine, including seven killed in today’s incidents and two who succumbed to earlier injuries.

'Israel' claimed it had spotted suspects crossing the “yellow line” approaching forces involved in operations in northern Gaza. 'Israeli' army spokesperson Avichay Adraee tweeted: “Earlier today, several suspects crossed the yellow line approaching IOF forces operating in northern Gaza, constituting a breach of the agreement.

Local media also reported one killed and another injured by an 'Israeli' drone strike in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. 'Israeli' forces fired intensively around the Shakoush area northwest of Rafah, with drones flying at low altitude over the same area.

The ceasefire agreement was first reached last Thursday to end 'Israel’s' genocide on Gaza, with the first phase entering effect Friday, including the release of several captives. Despite this initial progress, tensions remained high, and both sides quickly fell into disagreements over the implementation of the next phase.

The previous ceasefire of January collapsed on March 1 amid disputes over next steps. Hamas sought to transition to phase two, involving a full 'Israeli' withdrawal from Gaza and release of all living captives, while 'Israel' pushed to extend phase one without committing to ending hostilities or pulling back forces.

The fear of renewed breaches today echoes the fragility of past ceasefires, underscoring how quickly agreements can unravel despite mediators’ efforts and US guarantees.