Gaza Ceasefire Tested as Israel Launches Strikes After Soldier Deaths; Trump Pushes to Keep Peace Deal Alive
Just one week after U.S. President Donald Trump was celebrated as a hero in Israel for brokering a Gaza ceasefire and securing an exchange of hostages and prisoners, the fragile truce is already under severe strain.
On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a wave of deadly airstrikes across the Gaza Strip after two Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack in the southern city of Rafah — an assault the Israeli military blamed on Hamas. The militant group, however, denied any involvement, saying it had lost contact with fighters in the area months ago when communications were severed.
Following the attack, Israel temporarily suspended humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. However, intense diplomatic pressure from Washington reportedly persuaded Israel to reopen border crossings on Monday, ensuring that the ceasefire did not immediately collapse.
U.S. Envoys Return as Ceasefire Wavers
President Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have urgently returned to the region to reinforce the truce and push forward the next phase of Trump’s 20-point Middle East peace plan.
The plan’s second phase includes the deployment of an international stabilization force in Gaza, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the eventual disarmament of Hamas — a step seen as critical for long-term peace.
Meanwhile, Hamas representatives are holding talks in Cairo with Egyptian mediators and other Palestinian factions. The negotiations are expected to focus on how to preserve the ceasefire and manage Gaza’s future governance once the IDF fully withdraws.
Human Toll: Families Grieve as Airstrikes Resume
For many Palestinians, the renewed violence has shattered hopes that the ceasefire would finally bring relief after years of war.
In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, Shadi Abu Obeid buried his 14-year-old son, Mohammed, who was killed alongside two others when Israeli airstrikes hit a tent in the al-Mawasi area.
“From the start of the war, I was with him every day,” Abu Obeid said tearfully. “When the ceasefire began, I thought it was safe. I let him go out with his friends. We trusted the promises that there would be peace.”
According to Gaza health officials, at least 45 Palestinians were killed in Sunday’s bombardment, which the IDF said targeted “dozens of Hamas terror sites” across the enclave.
Local hospitals reported a mix of casualties — among them Hamas fighters and civilians, including children. Israeli officials did not comment on individual strikes but insisted all operations were aimed at preventing further attacks on its forces.
Trump’s Peace Team Defends Its Approach
Before the renewed clashes, Trump’s envoys had planned to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. In a CBS 60 Minutes interview aired shortly before their departure, Kushner and Witkoff revealed that they had broken diplomatic protocol by holding direct talks with Hamas leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, during ceasefire negotiations.
The envoys said the goal was to secure guarantees from Hamas that hostilities would not resume once the Israeli hostages were returned.
“The president was very comfortable with us taking that approach,” Kushner said, adding that early signs indicated Hamas was “acting in good faith” by cooperating on the return of hostages’ remains.
However, tensions escalated after reports surfaced that 16 bodies of Israeli hostages remain unreturned. Hamas later claimed it had recovered another body, which it would hand over “when conditions allow.”
Clashing Narratives on the Rafah Attack
The IDF accused Hamas of firing anti-tank missiles and gunfire at Israeli troops in Rafah, calling it a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire.
A spokesperson for the Israeli government said forces were conducting operations in Rafah “to dismantle terrorist infrastructure,” insisting their actions were in line with the terms of the truce.
Hamas, however, rejected those claims, accusing Israel of fabricating “pretexts” to resume military operations.
The group said it had no communication with its remaining cells in Rafah and “was not responsible for any incidents” in the area.
President Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, confirmed that the truce remained technically in place but acknowledged the situation was “tense and fragile.”
“We want to make sure it’s going to stay peaceful,” Trump said. “There’s been some shooting — maybe not by Hamas leadership but by some rebels or rogue elements.”
Israeli Media Questions Ceasefire’s Weakness
In Israel, analysts and newspapers have begun scrutinizing the weaknesses of the truce agreement.
Writing in Haaretz, journalist Amir Tibon noted that the deal was “full of vague language that left dangerous loopholes.” One of the most critical flaws, he said, was the failure to address the status of Hamas fighters trapped in Israeli-controlled zones when the ceasefire took effect.
Under the current arrangement, Israel maintains control over roughly half of the Gaza Strip, demarcated by a buffer zone known as the “Yellow Line.”
In Israel Hayom, military analyst Yoav Limor called the Rafah firefight “a warning,” urging the government to set firm boundaries with Hamas.
“If Israel doesn’t establish clear red lines, it could quickly find itself sliding back into full-scale conflict,” he wrote.
Israel’s Military Draws a New Border Line
On Monday, Israel’s Defense Ministry released a video showing bulldozers placing yellow concrete blocks to mark the so-called Yellow Line — the boundary separating IDF-controlled zones from areas under Palestinian civilian administration.
Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that any Hamas fighters found beyond the line “must withdraw immediately”, warning that Hamas leaders would be held personally responsible for further violations.
However, confusion spread among Gaza residents about the exact location of the new line. Hours later, Palestinian officials reported that Israeli fire killed three people east of Gaza City. The IDF claimed it had fired on “terrorists crossing the Yellow Line” in the Shejaiya district.
Domestic Pressures Mount on Netanyahu
Back in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting domestic pressure as Israel’s parliament begins its winter session and his Likud Party gears up for internal elections.
Netanyahu has ordered the military to “take strong action” against ceasefire violations but stopped short of threatening a return to war.
Meanwhile, Israelis continue to celebrate the safe return of 20 living hostages after two years of captivity in Gaza — a rare moment of unity in a deeply divided nation.
Hamas Pushes for New Gaza Governance
On the Palestinian side, Hamas spokesman Mohammed Nazzal told Al Jazeera that the group supports forming a temporary technocratic government to manage Gaza. He said Hamas had submitted a list of 40 independent Palestinian figures to Egyptian mediators for approval.
However, in a separate Reuters interview, Nazzal hinted that Hamas intends to retain security control in Gaza for an interim period — a stance likely to complicate peace efforts and draw opposition from both Israel and the United States.
Washington Urges Patience Amid “Fits and Starts”
In Washington, Vice President JD Vance downplayed concerns that the truce might collapse, describing the situation as “messy but promising.”
“There are going to be fits and starts,” Vance said. “But this remains the best chance for a sustainable peace in the region.”
Witkoff and Kushner are now expected to travel from Israel to Cairo for further meetings with Egyptian officials and regional stakeholders.
As diplomats race to stabilize the ceasefire, both sides face enormous challenges — from mistrust and political divisions to unresolved questions about Hamas’s future role in Gaza.
For now, the truce remains intact, but fragile — a peace balanced on a knife’s edge, vulnerable to every spark that could reignite one of the world’s most entrenched conflicts