The fragile ceasefire in Gaza faced its first major test Sunday as an Israeli security official announced that the transfer of aid into the territory was halted “until further notice” following a Hamas ceasefire violation. Concurrently, Israeli forces launched a wave of strikes.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement, confirmed the suspension just over a week since the start of the U.S.-proposed ceasefire aimed at ending two years of war.
Earlier on Sunday, Israel’s military reported that its troops came under fire from Hamas militants in southern Gaza, with two soldiers later confirmed killed in the area. In response, the Israeli military said it struck dozens of what it described as Hamas targets.
Health officials in Gaza reported that at least 29 Palestinians were killed across the territory, including children.
### Ceasefire Tensions and Reactions
A senior Egyptian official involved in the ceasefire negotiations told reporters that “round-the-clock” contacts were ongoing to deescalate the situation. This official also spoke on condition of anonymity.
There was no immediate comment from the United States.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the military to take “strong action” against any ceasefire violations but stopped short of threatening a return to war.
According to the Israeli military, militants fired on troops in parts of Rafah city controlled by Israel under the ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, Hamas accused Israel of multiple ceasefire violations and claimed it had lost contact with its remaining units in Rafah for months, denying responsibility for any incidents in those areas.
### Strikes in Gaza Raise Fears of Renewed Conflict
Palestinians expressed deep concern about the potential return to war.
“It will be a nightmare,” said Mahmoud Hashim, a father of five from Gaza City, who appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump and other mediators to prevent the ceasefire’s collapse.
An Israeli airstrike on a makeshift coffeehouse in Zawaida town in central Gaza killed at least six Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas.
Another strike near the Al-Ahly soccer club in the Nuseirat refugee camp killed at least two people. The strike hit a tent, wounding eight others, according to Al-Awda Hospital, which received the casualties.
The hospital also received the bodies of four people killed in a strike on a school sheltering displaced families in Nuseirat.
Further casualties included six killed in a tent in Nuseirat, one at a charging point west of Nuseirat, and four at a house in Bureij camp.
In Khan Younis, a strike hit a tent in the Muwasi area, killing at least four people, including a woman and two children, according to Nasser Hospital.
Another strike in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza killed two men, the Shifa Hospital reported.
### Identification of More Hostage Remains
Israel identified the remains of two hostages released by Hamas overnight. Netanyahu’s office said the bodies belonged to Ronen Engel, a father from Kibbutz Nir Oz, and Sonthaya Oakkharasri, a Thai agricultural worker from Kibbutz Be’eri.
Both were believed killed during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which initiated the ongoing war.
Engel’s wife, Karina, and two of his three children were kidnapped and later released in a ceasefire agreement in November 2023.
Over the past week, Hamas has handed over the remains of 12 hostages. The armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, stated they found the body of a hostage and would return it on Sunday “if circumstances in the field” allowed, warning that any Israeli escalation would hinder search efforts.
### Border Crossing and Hostage Remains Dispute
Israel has pressed Hamas to fulfill its ceasefire obligation to return the remains of all 28 deceased hostages. As a result, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed “until further notice.”
Hamas cites the war’s devastation and Israeli military control of parts of Gaza as reasons for the slow handover. Israel suspects Hamas has access to more bodies than it has returned.
Meanwhile, Israel has released 150 Palestinian bodies back to Gaza, including 15 on Sunday, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. These bodies, many in an advanced state of decomposition, have not been identified by Israel nor has their cause of death been disclosed.
Currently, only 25 have been identified by the Health Ministry, which posts photos of the bodies online to assist families.
Previously, Israel and Hamas exchanged 20 living hostages for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
### Next Steps in Ceasefire Negotiations
A Hamas delegation, led by chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo to follow up on the ceasefire’s implementation with mediators and other Palestinian groups.
The next phases are expected to focus on disarming Hamas, Israeli withdrawal from additional controlled areas in Gaza, and future governance of the devastated territory.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Kassem stated on Saturday that the second phase of negotiations “requires national consensus,” adding that Hamas has initiated discussions to “solidify its positions.”
The U.S. plan suggests establishing an internationally backed authority to govern Gaza. Kassem reiterated that Hamas will not participate in the postwar governing body, instead calling for a body of Palestinian technocrats to manage day-to-day affairs.
“For now, government agencies in Gaza continue to perform their duties, as the (power) vacuum is very dangerous,” he said.
### Status of the Rafah Border Crossing
Before the war, the Rafah crossing was the only one not controlled by Israel. It has been closed since May 2024, after Israel assumed control of the Gaza side.
A full reopening would facilitate medical treatment, travel, and family visits for Palestinians, many of whom have family connections in Egypt.
On Sunday, the Palestinian Authority’s Interior Ministry in Ramallah announced procedures for Palestinians wishing to enter or exit Gaza through Rafah.
Palestinian embassy staff in Cairo will issue temporary travel documents to those leaving Gaza. Those seeking to enter Gaza must apply at the embassy.
### Casualties and Humanitarian Toll
The Israel-Hamas conflict has killed more than 68,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records considered generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts.
Israel disputes these figures but has not presented its own official count.
Thousands more remain missing, according to the Red Cross.
The Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 during the October 7 attack that sparked the war.
https://www.wptv.com/world/israel-at-war/israel-halts-aid-to-gaza-until-further-notice-as-renewed-fighting-tests-ceasefire