Gaza Ceasefire Threatened as Israel Freezes Aid Following Alleged Hamas Violations

The Gaza ceasefire encountered a significant challenge on Sunday when an Israeli security official announced that aid transfers into the territory would be suspended "until further notice" following an alleged Hamas violation, while Israeli forces conducted numerous strikes.

The official spoke anonymously before a formal announcement regarding the aid suspension, which comes shortly after the implementation of a US-proposed ceasefire intended to end two years of conflict.

Israel's military reported earlier Sunday that its troops had been fired upon by Hamas in southern Gaza. Health officials indicated that at least 19 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across central and southern Gaza.

According to the Israeli military, they had targeted dozens of alleged Hamas positions in response.

A senior Egyptian official involved in ceasefire negotiations confirmed that "round-the-clock" communications were underway to reduce tensions. The official requested anonymity as they weren't authorized to speak with the press.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to respond firmly to ceasefire violations but did not suggest a return to full-scale warfare.

The Israeli military claimed Hamas fired at troops in sections of Rafah city that fall under Israeli control as per agreed ceasefire boundaries. No injuries were reported among Israeli forces, who responded with airstrikes and artillery fire.

Hamas, while continuing to accuse Israel of multiple ceasefire infractions, stated that communication with their remaining units in Rafah had been disrupted for months, adding "we are not responsible for any incidents occurring in those areas."

By late afternoon, Israel's military announced it had launched a series of airstrikes across southern Gaza targeting what it described as Hamas positions. They also reported striking "terrorists" approaching troops in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza.

Gaza's Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, reported that an Israeli airstrike on an improvised coffeehouse in Zawaida town in central Gaza killed at least six Palestinians.

Another strike killed at least two people near the Al-Ahly soccer club in Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the ministry. Al-Awda Hospital, which received the casualties, reported that the strike hit a tent and injured eight others.

The hospital also received four bodies from individuals killed in a strike on a school sheltering displaced families in Nuseirat, along with one person killed in a strike at a charging station west of Nuseirat.

In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, a strike hit a tent in the Muwasi area, killing at least four people, including a woman and two children, according to Nasser Hospital.

The strike in Beit Lahiya resulted in two fatalities, as reported by Shifa Hospital.

An Israeli military representative told journalists there had been three incidents on Sunday, two in southern Gaza and one in the north, noting this was preliminary information.

Israel identified the remains of two hostages returned by Hamas overnight.

Netanyahu's office confirmed the bodies belonged to Ronen Engel, a father from Kibbutz Nir Oz, and Sonthaya Oakkharasri, a Thai agricultural worker from Kibbutz Be'eri.

Both individuals were believed to have been killed during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which initiated the war. Engel's wife, Karina, and two of his three children were kidnapped and subsequently released during a November 2023 ceasefire.

Hamas has returned the remains of 12 hostages during the past week.

The Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, stated they had located another hostage's body and would return it Sunday "if circumstances in the field" permitted. They cautioned that any Israeli escalation would impede search operations.

Israel pressed Hamas on Saturday to fulfill its ceasefire obligation to return all 28 deceased hostages' remains, stating the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt would remain closed "until further notice."

Hamas maintains that war devastation and Israeli military control over certain Gaza areas have delayed the handover process. Israel believes Hamas possesses more bodies than it has returned thus far.

Israel has returned 150 Palestinian bodies to Gaza, including 15 on Sunday, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel has not identified these bodies nor explained how they died. The ministry posts photographs of bodies on its website to assist families searching for missing relatives. Many bodies are decomposed and blackened, with some missing limbs and teeth.

Only 25 bodies have been identified so far, according to the Health Ministry.

Following Israel and Hamas exchanging 20 living hostages for more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, the return of remains has become a critical issue in the ceasefire's first phase. Increasing humanitarian aid delivery is another central component.

A Hamas delegation led by chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo to discuss ceasefire implementation with mediators and other Palestinian groups, according to a Hamas statement.

Subsequent phases are expected to address Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal from additional Gaza territories, and future governance of the devastated region.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Kassem stated late Saturday that the second phase of negotiations "requires national consensus." He indicated that Hamas has initiated discussions to "solidify its positions."

The US plan proposes establishing an internationally supported authority to administer Gaza.

Kassem reiterated that Hamas would not participate in the governing authority of post-war Gaza. He advocated for the prompt formation of a body of Palestinian technocrats to manage daily affairs.

For now, "government agencies in Gaza continue to perform their duties, as the (power) vacuum is very dangerous," he said.

The Rafah crossing, previously the only crossing not controlled by Israel before the war, has remained closed since May 2024 when Israel seized control of the Gaza side.

A fully operational crossing would facilitate Palestinians seeking medical treatment, travel, or family visits in Egypt, which is home to tens of thousands of Palestinians.

On Sunday, the Palestinian Authority's Interior Ministry in Ramallah announced procedures for Palestinians wishing to enter or exit Gaza through the Rafah crossing. For those departing, Palestinian Embassy staff from Cairo will be stationed at the crossing to issue temporary travel documents for entry into Egypt. Palestinians wishing to enter Gaza must apply through the embassy.

The Israel-Hamas war has resulted in more than 68,000 Palestinian fatalities, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records generally considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. Israel has disputed these figures without providing its own death toll.

Thousands more individuals remain missing, according to the Red Cross.

Hamas killed approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and abducted 251 individuals in the attack that triggered the war.