Israel said Sunday that it will indefinitely halt the delivery of desperately needed aid into Gaza after accusing Hamas of violating the fragile ceasefire deal ― a claim made by the very government whose military has continued to kill Palestinians since the so-called truce went into effect this month.
The Israeli military, which has been widely accused of weaponizing aid against starving and sick Palestinians, suspended the delivery of humanitarian assistance just 11 days after Israel and Hamas both agreed to President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the more than two years of what human rights groups and experts call the genocide in Gaza.
Both Israel and its biggest ally, the United States, have accused Hamas of failing to uphold its obligations under the truce. The Israeli military claims that Hamas has been targeting its soldiers in the south, while the Trump administration accused the group of planning an attack against Palestinian civilians.
“Hamas will pay a heavy price for any shooting and violation of the ceasefire, and if the message is not understood the intensity of the responses will increase,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told Israeli media.
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Hamas’ armed wing said it has been adhering to the U.S.-brokered deal with Israel and is unaware of any fighting in Rafah. The group also denied the Trump administration’s allegations, saying they “fully align with the misleading Israeli propaganda and provide cover for the continuation of the occupation’s crimes and organized aggression.”
The Israeli military said it launched a “massive and extensive wave” of airstrikes and tank fire in south and central Gaza on Sunday after two soldiers were killed. The strikes have killed at least 21 Palestinians, some of whom were inside a school being used to shelter displaced civilians, according to the Gaza Civil Defense.
Israel had reportedly notified Washington of their intent to attack on Sunday, with Axios reporting that Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff told officials they could respond to alleged attacks by Hamas as long as the response was proportional. The Israeli military later said it will again abide by the ceasefire agreement, though it’s unclear if that includes allowing aid in.
While the developments sent mediators scrambling to de-escalate, Sunday is not the first time Israel has attacked Palestinians in Gaza during the so-called ceasefire. According to Gaza’s media office, Israel has violated the ceasefire at least 47 times since both parties agreed to the deal.
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“These violations have included crimes of direct gunfire against civilians, deliberate shelling and targeting, and the arrest of a number of civilians, reflecting the occupation’s continued policy of aggression despite the declared end of the war,” the office said in a Saturday statement.
Israel was responsible in March for breaking a temporary ceasefire brokered at the beginning of the year, raining bombs on Palestinians while halting all aid from entering Gaza. The blockade has created a starvation crisis in the enclave while depriving health care workers from having the supplies necessary to treat sick and wounded Palestinians.
Israel has controlled the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza since its aggressive military campaign in May 2024, preventing aid trucks from entering the enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially said that the crossing would remain closed until Hamas hands over the bodies of the remaining deceased hostages, though Axios reported that Israel reversed the decision after U.S. pressure and will reopen the crossing Monday.
Hamas has already released all 20 living hostages and about half the deceased hostages.
