Gaza ceasefire on brink: Israel strikes Hamas, halts Gaza aid after deadly Rafah attack kills 2 IDF soldiers

Israel launched airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza and suspended all aid shipments on Sunday (October 19), accusing the militant group of violating a fragile ceasefire by staging a deadly ambush that killed two Israeli soldiers in Rafah.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the attack represented a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement,” prompting a large-scale retaliation against what it described as “Hamas terror targets.”

‘Blatant violation’ of ceasefire

In a statement, the IDF said it struck “dozens of Hamas terror targets,” including weapons depots, firing positions, and command posts.

“We responded to a blatant violation of the ceasefire,” the army said, adding that six kilometers (3.7 miles) of underground tunnels were destroyed using more than 120 munitions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military “to take strong action against terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip.”

Palestinian officials said at least five people were killed in the strikes, which extended as far north as Gaza City.

Aid suspended, Rafah crossing closed

Israel has also halted all aid transfers into Gaza “until further notice”, an Israeli security official told the Associated Press. The Rafah border crossing with Egypt—previously expected to reopen this week—will remain closed indefinitely, officials said.

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that any attempt by Hamas to breach the ceasefire line would provoke military fire.

“The yellow line will be physically marked,” he said. “Any violation or attempt to cross it will be met with fire.”

Hamas denies violations, blames Israel

Hamas denied orchestrating the Rafah attack and said it remained committed to the truce.

“It seems the occupation continues to violate the agreement and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes,” said Hamas official Ezzat al-Risheq on Telegram.

The group’s armed wing said it was “unaware of any incidents or clashes in Rafah,” adding that it was “committed to all that has been agreed upon including a ceasefire in all areas in Gaza.”

Hamas later announced it had recovered the body of another Israeli hostage, which it would hand over “if conditions allow.”

US monitoring situation closely

The renewed violence comes as US mediators, including Vice President JD Vance and senior envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, prepare to travel to the region to preserve the ceasefire deal brokered by President Donald Trump on October 10.

Trump’s peace plan, backed by several Arab and Western governments, envisions Hamas disarming and ceding control of Gaza to a foreign-supervised Palestinian administration—a condition Hamas has resisted.

The US State Department warned on Saturday that it had “credible reports indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas,” though the group dismissed the claim as “false and aligned with Israeli propaganda.”

Path to peace remains fragile

Though the ceasefire halted two years of bloodshed, mutual accusations now threaten to unravel it.

Hamas says Israeli strikes have killed 46 Palestinians in recent days, while Israel insists it has acted only to prevent incursions across the ceasefire line.

“The future of Gaza’s governance, Hamas’s disarmament, and the composition of an international stabilization force remain unresolved,” a regional diplomat said, warning that the path to peace “hangs by a thread.”