Israel launches new attacks violating Gaza ceasefire

International Desk, PNN

Israeli forces have carried out multiple airstrikes again in the southern and central Gaza Strip, targeting areas beyond the so-called “Yellow Line” of the ceasefire agreement, where military presence is prohibited. This has further endangered the fragile ceasefire that had held for seven weeks.

On Thursday morning, explosions and scenes of destruction were reported at Bureij refugee camp and East Khan Yunus, according to local Al Jazeera reporters. Gaza Civil Defense said that in recent days, hundreds of attacks have openly violated the ceasefire agreement.

At the same time, Israeli forces conducted operations in the occupied West Bank in Qalqilya, Tubas, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Nablus. In Tubas, at least 25 people were beaten during questioning and later forced to seek medical treatment, confirmed local Red Crescent officials.

Both sides are moving toward completing the first phase of the ceasefire. On Wednesday, Israel handed over the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners to Gaza authorities. The previous day, Hamas and Islamic Jihad returned the body of another Israeli prisoner.

As part of the agreement, all living prisoners have been released, and a total of 26 Israeli civilians’ bodies have been returned. Hamas spokesperson Hizam Qassem stated that despite the difficult circumstances, they are committed to completing the process.

Meanwhile, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and returned the bodies of 345 individuals, many of whom allegedly showed signs of torture or execution, according to reports.

A major challenge to the ceasefire is Hamas fighters trapped in Israeli-controlled areas beyond the Yellow Line in southern Gaza. Over the past week, Israel has claimed to have killed 20 of these fighters. Hamas says these fighters are trapped in the Rafah tunnels, accusing Israel of clearly violating the agreement and calling for mediator intervention.

Diplomatic efforts are underway regarding the second phase of the ceasefire, which involves deploying an international armed stabilization force in Gaza, gradually demilitarizing the region, and temporarily establishing an international administration. Discussions took place on Tuesday in Cairo with representatives from Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt.

Analysts, however, say major questions remain, particularly regarding Israel’s true intentions. Middle East expert Mohammad Shehada believes, “Israel has not entirely abandoned its plan to make Gaza depopulated and uninhabitable. Any instability in the ceasefire could again provide a pretext for military action.”