Israeli strikes kill 42 in Gaza as both sides say the other breached truce

Israel's Military Escalates Violence in Gaza Amid Fragile Ceasefire

In a stark reminder that the fragile ceasefire brokered by the US is still far from secure, Israel launched a wave of air strikes on southern Gaza on Sunday, killing at least 42 Palestinians and further escalating tensions between the two sides.

The Israeli army claimed that its forces came under fire from Hamas fighters in Rafah, a charge that has been denied by the Palestinian group. The escalation followed a series of significant attacks, prompting Israel to begin "reinforcing" the truce with strikes and artillery fire.

Meanwhile, medical sources reported five Palestinians killed and several wounded in an Israeli attack on az-Zawayda in central Gaza. Three Palestinians were also killed in an attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp, while at least two others died in an Israeli air raid in northern Gaza.

The violence came as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed his military to take "strong action" against any ceasefire violations. The mood has changed rapidly in Israel, with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for a full-scale return to combat, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich tweeted "War!" and diaspora minister Amichai Chikli said "as long as Hamas exists, there will be war."

Analysts say the strikes underlined the fragility of the ceasefire agreement, which was never expected to bring an end to the two-year conflict. Yossi Mekelberg, a senior fellow with Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa Programme, warned that the ceasefire is "very fragile" and can tip in one way or another.

The US State Department had previously alleged it had credible reports of imminent Hamas violations of the ceasefire deal, claims that were rejected by Hamas. The group accused Israel of supporting armed groups operating in Israeli-controlled areas and called on Washington to pressure Israel to stop providing them a safe haven.

As the situation continues to deteriorate, a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Sunday to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement with mediators, Palestinian factions, and forces. However, the group said that any Israeli escalation would hinder search operations for the remaining captive remains.

The fragile peace process has been pushed to the brink by Israel's escalating violence, leaving many to wonder if a lasting truce is still possible.

Come on... 42 people dead and you're telling us it was just a response to Hamas attacks? I need sources for this, not just some vague claims from the Israeli army. And what about those "credible reports" from the US State Department that turned out to be baseless?

I don't buy the narrative that Israel is just trying to protect itself when it's the one who's been waging war on Gaza for years. The fact that far-right politicians like Itamar Ben-Gvir are calling for full-scale combat tells us exactly where the Israeli government's true intentions lie.

And what about the humanitarian impact? Medical sources are reporting multiple casualties, and you're just glossing over it with "the situation continues to deteriorate". How many more lives do we need to lose before someone starts asking tough questions?

so yeah, no surprise here... Israel just can't seem to stop itself from bombing Gaza like what did we expect? And now they're all like "we're taking strong action" sounds like a fancy way of saying "we're gonna keep smashing stuff until someone tells us to stop". The US is all like "creditable reports" but let's be real, who actually believes those guys anymore? and the ceasefire agreement was never gonna work anyway... two years in and it's just a bunch of hot air . What's next? More airstrikes? More deaths?

the us is always trying to play peacemaker in the middle east but it seems like they're not doing enough ...israel's actions are super sus and i'm worried about the civilians caught in the crossfire ...i think the palestinians have a right to defend themselves too, you know? ...the us government should be putting more pressure on israel to stop their aggression and focus on finding real peace ...and what's with benjamin netanyahu being so reckless? doesn't he care about the lives of his own citizens? ...anyway, i'm keeping an eye on this situation and hoping that something good comes out of it .

Israel's actions are just causing more pain & suffering . I mean, 42 Palestinians killed in one day? That's just heartbreaking . The US is trying to broker a peace deal, but it seems like neither side really wants to listen . I think the international community needs to step in and put some pressure on Israel to calm down .

The fact that Netanyahu is directing his military to take "strong action" just means more violence . And what's with all these far-right politicians calling for war? It's like they're trying to fuel the flames of hatred . We need leaders who can bring people together, not drive them apart.

I'm so worried about the situation in Gaza . The ceasefire is fragile at best, and it feels like Israel is just using it as an excuse to keep bombing . I hope Hamas's delegation in Cairo can somehow manage to bring some stability back to the region . But honestly, I'm not holding my breath .

I don't usually comment but... it's like, super worrying about what's going on in Gaza right now . I mean, 42 people killed in just one day? It's insane. And the fact that Israel's military is being all aggressive and calling for a full-scale return to combat just because some Hamas fighters were firing at them... it feels like they're just trying to provoke something .

And then there's this whole thing about Israel supporting armed groups operating in their own territory, which sounds like a big deal . I don't know how that works or what the rules are, but if it's true, that would be a huge problem.

I think the ceasefire agreement is just super fragile and can tip over at any moment . It's like, we're all holding our breaths waiting to see what happens next. I hope Hamas can get some help in Cairo and figure out a way to make this work, but it feels like Israel's not exactly on board with that .

I don't know, maybe I'm just not understanding the whole situation, but it seems like things are about to get really bad really fast .

omg idk wut's goin on in gaza rn 42 ppl killed & it's like israel's mil doesn't care bout da ceasefire anymore benjamin netanyahu's all like take strong action but like israel's just causin more problems far-right minister itamar ben-gvir's all about war, war, war & american's tryna keep da peace process goin but it's like, how long can dis fragile ceasefire hold out? i'm so worried bout da innocent ppl caught in da middle

OMG this is getting serious Israel's air strikes on Gaza are totally escalating things and it's like they're playing with fire not cool at all . The whole thing just feels so unpredictable and I'm worried that a major war could break out any minute now. I mean, the ceasefire was never meant to be a permanent solution and now it's like they're trying to make it worse . What's going on with Netanyahu? Is he just fueling the fire or what?

looks like israel keep pushin on gaza and its gettin outta hand 42 palestinians killed already and it just started yesterday... think us sould be worried abt whats gonna happen next? dont get me wrong i know theres 2 sides and they both got reasons 4 doin what dey r doin but come on war isnt the answer every1 talk about peace but it seems like its just a word now

omg what's happening in gaza? i feel so bad for all those people caught in the middle... like what even is a ceasefire anymore? anyway did you know that avocado toast is now overpriced in los angeles? i swear it used to be like 5 bucks but now it's like 8! anyway back to gaza i feel like something needs to be done about all this violence... israel and hamas just going to keep fighting forever?

I'm worried about the situation in Gaza . The US-brokered ceasefire just doesn't seem secure enough, you know? Israel keeps saying it's taking "strong action" against Hamas, but what that really means is more violence and more suffering for civilians. I get that there are some tough guys on both sides who want to keep the fight going, but come on, can't we find a way to resolve this without killing so many people? The US and other countries need to step up and make sure that everyone's following the ceasefire agreement... or at least be trying to. It's getting really bleak over there, and I just hope someone can bring some sanity back into this mess

This is so heartbreaking . The cycle of violence in Gaza is just so devastating . I'm worried about all those innocent lives lost . It feels like we're right back where we started, and I don't think we can afford to lose any more hope . Can't we find a way for Israel and Hamas to talk things out without all the bloodshed?

This is what happens when you can't keep your word . Ceasefire after ceasefire and still no real peace in sight . Time for the world to step in and make some noise about this . Can we just have a peaceful day without all the bloodshed and violence?

This whole situation is super messed up ... I mean, 42 people dead in one day? That's just crazy! And for what? So Netanyahu can show off his "strong action" skills? Give me a break . The far-right guys are getting too loud and it's only gonna lead to more bloodshed.

The ceasefire was supposed to be the start of something good, but I guess Israel doesn't want that . And what about the US? They're all like "we've got this" but really they're just enabling Israel's aggression . It's so frustrating! Can we please just get a real peace deal instead of these half-baked agreements?

I'm not even gonna get started on Hamas' side, I know some people think they're the bad guys too . But at the end of the day, innocent lives are getting lost in the crossfire. We need to find a way to talk this stuff out and figure out a real solution ... but it feels like no one's listening .