Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Gaza on Sunday, as tensions deepened over alleged violations of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities in the enclave, according to Israeli media reports.
Public broadcaster Kan reported that Israeli aircraft carried out strikes across southern Gaza, while other outlets described the attacks as airstrikes. Neither the Israeli military nor Hamas immediately commented on Sunday’s reports.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said on Friday that “several terrorists” had opened fire on its troops in the Rafah area, causing no injuries. The military later said it struck another group of militants approaching soldiers in Khan Younis, adding that operations would continue “to remove immediate threats.”
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other in recent days of violating the fragile ceasefire, as the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed “until further notice.”
Late on Saturday, the U.S. State Department said it had received “credible reports indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas against the people of Gaza.”
“Should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire,” the statement added, without elaborating further.
Hamas denied the U.S. accusations on Sunday, rejecting claims of any “imminent attack” or “violation” of the truce. The group instead accused Israeli authorities of arming and funding criminal gangs in Gaza that carried out murders, kidnappings, and looting.
“The movement calls on the U.S. administration to stop repeating the occupation’s misleading narrative,” Hamas said in a statement.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would consider allowing Israeli forces to resume fighting if Hamas fails to uphold its side of the deal.
Dispute Over the Return of Bodies
The ceasefire has also been strained by disagreements over the recovery and repatriation of bodies under the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal.
Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of violating the agreement by keeping the Rafah crossing closed, saying the restriction prevents the entry of equipment needed to locate and retrieve bodies from the rubble.
“The continued closure of Rafah will delay the recovery and handover of the remains,” Hamas said late on Saturday, calling Netanyahu’s stance a “blatant violation” of commitments made to international mediators.
Israel said it received two additional bodies on Saturday, bringing the total to 12 out of 28 recovered so far under the agreement. Hamas, meanwhile, said the process “requires time, effort, and specialized equipment” to retrieve corpses buried beneath destroyed buildings.
