Israel hits Gaza after blaming Hamas for breaking truce

Israel on Sunday launched its heaviest wave of attacks on Gaza since a fragile cease-fire took hold a week ago and said it had temporarily suspended humanitarian aid after accusing Hamas of violating the truce by firing on its soldiers, killing two.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it had “begun the renewed enforcement of the cease-fire” after carrying out a series of significant strikes against Hamas targets and in accordance with a directive from the government.

The deadly flare-up of violence on Sunday and the temporary suspension of aid were the most serious tests yet of the cease-fire, which was negotiated under heavy pressure by the Trump administration and signed with great fanfare by President Trump himself.

The aid was halted because of the intensity of the Israeli strikes, and was expected to resume once the bombing was over, according to an Israeli official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. Israeli officials had initially said that humanitarian aid would be suspended until further notice but later appeared to step back from that decision.

Israel said two of its soldiers were killed early Sunday when Palestinian militants attacked forces who were operating in an area where the Israeli military is allowed to be under the cease-fire agreement. The deaths prompted a strong response.

Gaza’s health officials reported 44 Palestinian deaths across the territory on Sunday.

Both Israel and Hamas have now accused each other of violating the truce after repeated flare-ups of violence over the past three days. But both sides made clear on Sunday that they were still committed to maintaining the truce.

The Israeli military said the Palestinian fighters had fired an anti-tank missile at its troops and then shot at them in the Rafah area of southern Gaza that remains under Israeli control.

The military called this “a blatant violation” of the truce. In response, the military said, Israeli forces struck in the area “to eliminate the threat” and dismantle tunnel shafts and other military structures.

On Sunday afternoon, the military intensified its attacks, saying it struck dozens of Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces also struck a group of people they identified as armed militants crossing the cease-fire line in northern Gaza, the military said in a statement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel blamed Hamas for the latest violence. He said he had consulted with his defense minister and security chiefs and had instructed them to act forcefully against militant targets in Gaza.

Hamas’s military wing said in a statement that it was “unaware of any events or clashes taking place in the Rafah area,” saying they had lost contact with their fighters there months ago.