US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains in effect, even as renewed Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza following an attack that killed two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers in Rafah.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump maintained that the truce was intact.
“We want to make sure that it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas,” he said. “And as you know, they’ve been quite rambunctious… but either way … it’s going to be handled toughly, but properly.”
The violence marks the deadliest period since the ceasefire took hold.
According to the Gaza Government Media Office, Israel has killed at least 97 Palestinians and injured 230 others since the start of the truce, violating the agreement 80 times.
“These violations ranged from direct fire against civilians to deliberate shelling and targeting, the use of simultaneous air strikes, and the arrest of a number of civilians,” the office said in a statement.
It added that Israel’s actions reflected a “continued aggressive approach” and “constant thirst for blood and killing.”
Rising death toll and airstrikes
The Hamas-run civil defence agency reported that 45 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Sunday.
It remains unclear how many of the casualties were civilians or Hamas operatives.
The Israeli military stated late Sunday that it had resumed adherence to the ceasefire under orders from the country’s political leadership.
The IDF said it would respond “firmly” to any violations it perceives by Hamas or other groups in Gaza.
Hamas has denied involvement in the attack that killed the two Israeli soldiers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security consultation on Sunday to assess the next steps.
He also reiterated that Israel would continue to restrict humanitarian aid to Gaza until the bodies of 16 Israeli hostages still held in the enclave are returned.
Netanyahu has tied Israel’s cooperation on the next phase of Trump’s broader Middle East plan to the return of the 16 hostages’ bodies.
The prime minister said humanitarian aid to Gaza would be reduced by half until progress is made on that front.
Vance urges security presence before disarmament
US Vice President JD Vance said a stable “security infrastructure” must be established in Gaza before Hamas can be fully disarmed.
Speaking to reporters, Vance argued that international or regional peacekeeping forces, particularly from Gulf Arab states, would be required to ensure order on the ground.
“Before we actually can ensure that Hamas is properly disarmed, that’s going to require… some of these Gulf Arab states to get forces in there to actually apply some law and order and some security-keeping on the ground,” Vance said.
He added that “the Gulf Arab states, our allies, don’t have the security infrastructure in place yet to confirm that Hamas is disarmed.”
According to multiple reports, Vance is expected to visit Israel in the coming days for talks with senior officials.
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