Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire killed at least 12 Palestinians across Gaza on Sunday, adding to the doubts over the durability of the US-brokered truce that has technically been in place since October 10.
The casualties were reported in multiple locations. In Jabaliya, Gaza’s civil defence agency said an airstrike struck a tent encampment sheltering displaced families, killing at least five people who were reportedly asleep. In Khan Younis, another early morning strike left five dead. One person was killed by shelling in Gaza City, while another was shot dead in Beit Lahia.
Palestinian officials and representatives of Hamas condemned the attacks as a “massacre” and a “criminal escalation”. Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesperson, described the strikes as a grave breach of the truce and accused Israel of attempting to impose a “bloody reality” to undermine diplomatic efforts. According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 601 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began in October, while the Israeli military says four of its soldiers have died during the same period.
The violence unfolded just days before the inaugural meeting in Washington of President Donald Trump’s newly created “Board of Peace”, an initiative designed to oversee Gaza’s post-war governance and reconstruction.
Israel rejected accusations of unprovoked aggression, insisting the strikes were a targeted response to what it described as “blatant violations” of the ceasefire by Hamas operatives. Central to Israel’s account is the so-called “yellow line”, a demarcation zone established under the ceasefire agreement. Israeli troops withdrew behind this line, which now functions as a de facto security boundary within Gaza and reportedly leaves Israel in control of more than half the territory.
According to an Israeli military official, surveillance identified five armed gunmen emerging from tunnel infrastructure and crossing the yellow line towards Israeli positions. The IDF views any armed movement across the line near its troops as a direct threat and a fundamental breach of the truce.
Israel maintains that those targeted were militants attempting to rebuild Hamas’s military capabilities. The military said one strike killed Ahmad Bayouk, whom it described as a Hamas operative involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on the Re’im military base. It also announced that a strike the previous week killed Azem Abu Huli, identified as a commander in Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s elite forces.
Israeli officials argue that Hamas is systematically violating the ceasefire while refusing to comply with disarmament provisions in the US-brokered deal. They have warned that Israel may be forced to compel the group’s disarmament if it does not occur voluntarily.
The renewed hostilities cast a shadow over Thursday’s planned meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington. Established under a reported United Nations Security Council mandate, the Board is intended to oversee a permanent ceasefire, the formation of a technocratic Palestinian government and the disarmament of Hamas. Yet the latest violence underscores the fragility of what has been described as a “phase two” truce.
Trump has publicly called for Hamas to undertake “full and immediate demilitarization”, a demand the group has rejected, insisting it will disarm only once a Palestinian state is established. The airstrikes are likely to harden this standoff, with Hamas arguing that continued military action demonstrates that occupation persists regardless of diplomatic agreements.
The “yellow line” itself has become a point of contention. Satellite imagery reportedly suggests that Israel has moved the boundary up to 300 metres deeper into Gaza, fuelling Palestinian accusations that territory is being annexed under the guise of security. Such disputes complicate the Board’s mandate to stabilise the enclave and delineate secure zones.
Despite the escalation, political preparations in Washington continue. Trump has announced that Board members have pledged more than $5 billion, with some estimates placing commitments closer to $7 billion, for Gaza’s reconstruction. The Board’s charter reportedly offers permanent membership to countries contributing at least $1 billion, with the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait cited among the largest prospective donors.
More than 20 countries are expected to attend the Washington meeting. Indonesia has pledged to deploy 8,000 troops to assist a proposed stabilisation force.
Critics argue that the violence exposes the Board’s limitations before it has even convened. There are concerns that the aid could use the new body to sidestep the UN framework and create a parallel mechanism. There are also questions about some of the appointments within the Board, as certain advisers who were accused of aid mismanagement in the past have found a place.
For most Palestinians, the disconnect between the peace initiatives led by the US and the continuing attacks in Gaza is stark. Unfortunately, the mismatch threatens to erode whatever little legitimacy the ceasefire retains.