Hamas has categorically denied claims that the Palestinian militant group informed US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner that the truce with Israel had terminated. A member of Hamas’s political bureau, Izzat Al-Rishq, stated that Israeli reports suggesting the ceasefire agreement had ended are false, accusing Israel of fabricating the allegations to continue its military operations in Gaza. The ceasefire, brokered in Sharm el-Sheikh by former US President Donald Trump and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, was intended to halt hostilities in Gaza following months of intense conflict. The deal called for Israel to withdraw from part of the enclave and for Hamas to release 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday that Israeli forces had conducted strikes in Gaza, killing five Hamas officials. He claimed that the strikes were in response to a breach of the truce by Hamas, a claim the group has denied. In its latest statement, Hamas reportedly called on mediators and the US administration to intervene and ensure Israel adheres to the ceasefire agreement. Local officials in Gaza reported that at least 342 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire came into force.
The Israeli military campaign in the Palestinian enclave began in response to a surprise attack by Hamas in October 2023, which killed 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. According to Hamas-run Gaza health authorities, the subsequent Israeli operations have killed more than 69,500 Palestinians. The situation remains tense, with both sides continuing to claim adherence to the ceasefire agreement while accusing each other of violating its terms. The international community, including the US, is closely monitoring the situation as the conflict continues to have severe humanitarian consequences for the civilian population in Gaza.