Gaza Truce Under Severe Strain as Israeli Airstrikes Claim Over 25 Lives in Apparent Ceasefire Breach
Published Date: 31 Jan, 2026
January 31, 2026
Intense Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least 25 Palestinians, including several children and women, on Saturday in what Hamas and Gaza health authorities labeled clear and repeated violations of the fragile ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States. The attacks targeted multiple locations including a multi-story residential block in Gaza City, a displacement tent site in Khan Younis, and scattered areas in central Gaza, pushing the death toll from Israeli actions since the truce began into the hundreds.
Medical teams at Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals confirmed the casualties arrived throughout the day, with many victims pulled from rubble after precision-guided munitions struck civilian structures. The violence erupted less than 24 hours before Israel is expected to partially reopen the Rafah crossing with Egypt, a long-delayed humanitarian step central to the ceasefire's first phase.
Israel Cites Security Threats as Justification
The Israeli Defense Forces stated that the operations targeted Hamas military infrastructure and were conducted in direct response to what military officials described as provocative actions and ceasefire infringements by Palestinian armed groups the day prior. Spokespersons emphasized that strikes remained limited and precise, aimed at neutralizing threats rather than escalating the conflict broadly.
No detailed public evidence of specific Hamas violations triggering Saturday's response was released, though Israeli sources have repeatedly accused the group of repositioning fighters, attempting tunnel repairs, and violating movement restrictions in designated zones.
Palestinian Authorities Demand Immediate Halt
Hamas denounced the strikes as a dangerous escalation that jeopardizes the entire truce framework and called on American mediators, including President Donald Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff, to intervene forcefully and hold Israel accountable. The group highlighted the civilian toll, particularly among displaced families living in makeshift shelters, and insisted the attacks contradict Israel's commitments under the agreement.
Gaza's Government Media Office reported that since the ceasefire entered force on October 10, Israeli forces have carried out more than 400 separate incidents classified as violations, ranging from artillery barrages and drone strikes to live fire on fishermen and farmers near perimeter zones. Palestinian tallies attribute over 520 deaths to these post-ceasefire actions, with Saturday's casualties adding significantly to that figure.
Rafah Border Reopening Faces New Uncertainty
The scheduled reactivation of the Rafah crossing Sunday was intended to allow substantially increased humanitarian aid flows and limited civilian movement after more than 20 months of near-total closure. The milestone followed the recovery and return of the final Israeli hostage remains, fulfilling a key precondition.
However, the latest bloodshed has cast fresh doubt over whether the crossing will open as planned or face further delays amid heightened tensions. Aid organizations have warned that continued military activity severely hampers distribution efforts and reconstruction, leaving hundreds of thousands of Gazans in dire need of food, medicine, fuel, and shelter materials during winter conditions.
Ceasefire Framework at Critical Juncture
The U.S.-mediated deal has so far achieved partial hostage-prisoner exchanges, limited Israeli troop pullbacks from certain areas, and incremental improvements in aid access. Yet persistent low-level violence has undermined confidence on both sides, with each accusing the other of undermining the path to Phase Two, which includes deeper Israeli withdrawals, Hamas disarmament discussions, and establishment of temporary governance mechanisms.
International mediators continue pressing for strict adherence to the terms while preparing for negotiations on the agreement's next stage. Saturday's events illustrate the razor-thin margin separating fragile calm from renewed escalation, particularly when civilian casualties mount rapidly.
With Rafah's status hanging in the balance and public anger rising on the Palestinian side, the coming hours will test whether diplomatic channels can contain the fallout and preserve the ceasefire's core objectives. For Gaza's exhausted population, already battered by prolonged war and blockade, each new day of violence deepens the humanitarian crisis and dims prospects for genuine stabilization.
Date: 31 Jan, 2026
