Israel has struck again in the Rafah area after Israeli media said its troops were attacked - an incident that has once again shaken the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas. According to the Times of Israel, Palestinian gunmen attacked Israeli soldiers just outside Rafah; the Israeli military (IDF) responded with targeted air strikes on positions in the southern Gaza Strip.
According to Reuters, the attack involved firing towards Israeli forces in Rafah, with subsequent Israeli airstrikes also hitting the area around the town of Khan Younis. Sources in the Gaza Strip report several injuries, but the number of casualties has not yet been verified. Neither the army nor Hamas has officially commented on the incident, which commentators say creates room for misinformation and further tensions between the two sides.
The ceasefire, which came into force at the beginning of October, has been under increasing pressure for several days. As Haaretz points out, both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating it. Palestinian sources claim that Israel has carried out several minor airstrikes during the ceasefire, while the Israeli government accuses Hamas of attempting sabotage and crossing the border.
The humanitarian situation in Rafah is deteriorating. Local authorities quoted by Qatar's Al Jazeera television warn that any closure of the crossing into Egypt would have "catastrophic effects" on the supply of food, medicine and fuel. Rafah is the main entry point for humanitarian aid into Gaza, and any deterioration in the security situation could also paralyse international efforts to stabilise the region.
According to BBC News, the international community is calling on both sides to exercise maximum restraint. Both the United States and the European Union are urging Israel to avoid civilian casualties and to continue negotiations for a permanent ceasefire. Washington also stresses that a return to a full-scale military offensive could destroy the last vestiges of diplomatic progress made in recent weeks.
Pressure is growing in Israel from within. As the Jerusalem Post reported, some politicians on the far right are calling for renewed "decisive military action" in Gaza if attacks on Israeli troops continue. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to maintain a delicate balance between the army's security demands and international pressure for restraint.
It is not yet clear who exactly instigated the incident in Rafah. Analysts agree that even individual shootings can quickly escalate into a larger conflict. For the moment, the ceasefire remains formally in place, but its future is uncertain - and as Haaretz commentators warn, it only takes one ill-timed strike to send the whole region up in flames again.
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