Israel accused Hamas on Sunday of violating the ceasefire by launching attacks on its forces in Gaza, while Hamas accused Israel of working to “create flimsy excuses” for its actions.
Israeli and Palestinian media reported that the Israeli army carried out air strikes in southern Gaza at dawn on Sunday, in the first attacks of their kind since the start of the truce that stopped its attack on the besieged Palestinian Strip.
Two Palestinian eyewitnesses told AFP that fighting broke out in a part of the southern city of Rafah, which is still under Israeli control, followed by two air strikes.
NBC News has not verified these reports, and the Israeli military has not confirmed the strikes.
Later, an Israeli military official accused Hamas of committing a “bold violation of the ceasefire” in incidents that included a rocket-propelled grenade attack and a sniper attack against Israeli forces.
“Hamas carried out several attacks against Israeli forces beyond the yellow line,” the Israeli military official said, referring to the area where its army is now stationed inside Gaza under the first phase of the ceasefire.
Izzat Al-Rishq, a prominent member of the political wing of Hamas, said that the movement “confirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement,” accusing Israel of violating the agreement and working to “create false pretexts” to evade its responsibilities.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect on October 10, when the movement agreed to release all Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees under the first phase of a US-brokered agreement.
Both sides accused the other of violating the terms of the deal.
Israel says Hamas is delaying the release of the bodies of hostages held inside Gaza, while Hamas says it will take some time to search for and recover the remains.
Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right Israeli National Security Minister who opposed the ceasefire, on Sunday called on the Israeli army to “resume fighting in the Gaza Strip with full force.”
The ceasefire also includes increasing aid to Gaza, as the world’s largest authority to combat hunger has declared famine in some areas.
The Israeli military informed the United Nations last week that it would halve the amount of aid trucks expected to enter Gaza, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated on Saturday that the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt would remain closed “until further notice,” citing the hostage dispute.
There were flashes of violence inside Gaza during the ceasefire, which was marked by at least one public execution and clashes between Hamas and rival factions as the armed group tried to reassert its control amid the ceasefire in the war-torn region.
The US State Department said on Saturday Post on social media He added that there are “credible reports indicating an imminent violation of the ceasefire by Hamas against the residents of Gaza.” Hamas rejected this proposal.