Israel launches Gaza airstrikes, accuses Hamas of violating ceasefire

Israel launched airstrikes on southern Gaza early Sunday in the first major test of its ceasefire with Hamas, as the two sides traded accusations of significant breaches of the deal brokered by President Donald Trump

Israel launched airstrikes on southern Gaza early Sunday in the first major test of its ceasefire with Hamas, as the two sides traded accusations of significant breaches of the deal brokered by President Donald Trump.

Israel said that Hamas had carried out “a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement” with attacks on its forces in the Rafah area.

Hamas restated its commitment to the truce and said it had no knowledge of any clashes. A senior official accused Israel of working to “fabricate flimsy pretexts” for its own actions.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it had begun strikes around Rafah “to eliminate the threat” posed by militants and “dismantle tunnel shafts and military structures used for terrorist activity.”

Israel said it was acting “in accordance with the ceasefire agreement,” accusing militants of firing an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward IDF troops in the area.