Israel strikes Rafah, accusing Hamas of ceasefire violation

An official with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it has carried out air strikes on Rafah after an attack by Hamas on its troops in Gaza, BBC reports.

The official has called the incident a "bold violation of the ceasefire."

In response, Hamas says it is committed to the ceasefire and alleges that Israel "continues to breach the agreement."

Israeli warplanes carried out several air strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah after Hamas gunmen clashed with a militia reportedly supported by Israel, residents and witnesses tell the BBC.

Residents living south of the European Hospital, the closest spot to the incident, say the strikes were accompanied by artillery shelling, with explosions shaking parts of Rafah.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The targeted area remains under Israeli military control. A local source familiar with the incident tells the BBC that Hamas fighters attacked a group affiliated with Yasser Abu Shabab in south-eastern Rafah, an area controlled by Israeli forces.

The militants reportedly came under surprise tank fire, leading to a short exchange of gunfire before Israeli warplanes bombed the site.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defence, tells the BBC: “We have no clear information about what is happening in Rafah. We received several calls from residents about Israeli airstrikes and shelling, but none of our rescue teams can reach the area because Israeli troops are deployed there.”

In a statement, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq says the group “remains committed to the ceasefire agreement”, accusing Israel of “violating the deal and fabricating pretexts to justify its crimes".

He adds that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to evade his obligations “come under pressure from his extremist coalition, in a bid to escape accountability before mediators and guarantors".

The deal struck earlier this month required the IDF to withdraw from parts of Gaza, but allows the Israeli army to remain in certain areas, including Rafah.