Gaza ceasefire still under strain as Israel reportedly launches fresh strikes

Israeli forces launched fresh air and ground strikes across parts of eastern Gaza on Thursday, Palestinian residents said, a day after Israel insisted it remained committed to a US-backed ceasefire even as it intensified bombardments in the enclave.

Witnesses reported at least 10 airstrikes in areas east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while tanks fired shells on the outskirts of Gaza City in the north. No casualties were immediately reported. The Israeli military said its forces had conducted “precise” operations targeting “terrorist infrastructure that posed a threat to troops” in zones still under Israeli control.

The renewed strikes tested the fragile truce that took effect on October 10, intended to end months of bloodshed between Israel and Hamas. “We’re scared another war will break out. We’ve already been displaced for two years,” said Fathi Al-Najjar, a resident in Khan Younis now living in a makeshift tent. Around him, children filled plastic bottles from roadside water tanks as women cooked meals on clay ovens.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas released all living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, while Israel agreed to pull back troops and suspend its military offensive. Hamas also pledged to return the remains of all 28 hostages confirmed dead, handing over 15 so far and promising to deliver two more later on Thursday.

The recovery of hostages’ bodies has been a sensitive point in US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, with Israel accusing Hamas of stalling the process — an allegation the group denies.

A woman in Gaza records the first moments after Israel bombed her home despite the 'ceasefire' they keep violating. pic.twitter.com/UbGlYHiq4j

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No chance Gaza peace plan will last

From Tuesday into Wednesday, Israeli retaliatory strikes following the death of an Israeli soldier killed 104 people, according to Gaza health officials. The ministry said 46 children and 20 women were among the dead. Israel said the soldier had been shot by gunmen inside the “yellow line” buffer area established under the ceasefire, an accusation Hamas rejected.

The Israeli military later released a list of 26 militants it said were killed in those operations, including one commander allegedly involved in the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war. Hamas authorities dismissed the list as “a systematic campaign of misinformation” aimed at concealing civilian deaths.

Sources familiar with mediation efforts said US and regional envoys moved quickly to restore calm as the two sides traded blame. Still, in Gaza, where vast areas lie in ruins, residents voiced fears that the lull may collapse. “The situation is unbearable,” said Mohammed Al-Sheikh. “The war never really ended for us. We live in constant fear.”

The conflict, now in its third year, has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s two million residents, many repeatedly. Health authorities say more than 68,000 people have been killed and thousands remain missing since Israel launched its campaign in response to Hamas-led attacks that left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage.

With agency inputs