Israel launches airstrikes on Gaza days after US-brokered ceasefire

Israeli airstrikes rattle Rafah and southern Gaza: reports

Israel launched airstrikes on Rafah and other areas in southern Gaza just days after a US-mediated ceasefire took effect, Reuters reported, citing Israeli Channel 12. The strikes came amid growing tensions surrounding the fragile truce, which appeared close to collapse as the United States accused Hamas of planning an attack in the disputed territory.

Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that the war in Gaza would not end until Hamas was disarmed and the Palestinian enclave demilitarised.

“When that is successfully completed — hopefully in an easy way, but if not, in a hard way — then the war will end," he said during an interview on Israeli Channel 14 on Saturday.

“Terror operatives attacked Israeli troops in Rafah, prompting the IDF to respond with airstrikes, shaking the ceasefire,” the Times of Israel reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was holding discussions with Defence Minister Israel Katz and army officials regarding the situation, according to Channel 12.

According to Israeli public broadcaster Kan, the air force struck targets in Rafah, southern Gaza, with multiple outlets describing the operations as airstrikes.

The Israeli military said on Friday that “several terrorists” had opened fire on soldiers in the Rafah area, causing no injuries. Later that day, it said another group of “terrorists” approaching troops in Khan Younis was also targeted. The military added that it would continue operations “to remove immediate threats.”

Meanwhile, Gaza’s civil defence agency, operating under Hamas authority, said on Saturday that it had recovered the bodies of nine Palestinians, two men, three women, and four children, after Israeli troops allegedly fired two tank shells at a bus.