The fragile truce between the Israel and Hamas is again on a tightrope, as the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he ordered the army to carry out “heavy strikes” on the Gaza Stripafter a new attack by Hamas in Rafah.
According to the first information, Hamas fired an anti-tank missile and opened fire on of Israeli troops in southern Gazawhich Tel Aviv called a “clear violation” of the ceasefire reached with mediation by the United States.
“The response to current breaches [της Χαμάς] will be much stronger than the response last time,”
an Israeli official told the newspaper Jerusalem Postimplying that the Israeli military response will be immediate and decisive.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) returned fire, attempting to prevent Hamas from further hitting Israeli positions near Yellow Linethe security border between Israel and Gaza.
As stated by a military source, the attacks by Hamas occurred suddenly, while the Israeli government he had just lifted them security restrictions in border communities — measure that was in force from October 7 of the previous year, following a relevant decision of the Minister of Defence Israel Katz.
Return of relics and new intensity
Tensions had already risen early on, as the Hamas handed over the remains of an Israeli hostage who had been killed during the fighting. Israel confirmed the remains belonged to a soldier who had been abducted early in the war, sparking fresh waves of anger and emotion inside the country.
OR return of remains was considered by Israel as a “gesture without substance”, while at the same time the military tensions in Rafah sparked concern for full collapse of the truce which had been concluded under pressure from Washington.
The situation remains extremely fragileas each new attack can lead to resumption of large-scale hostilities.
Analysts point out that Jerusalem is now faced with a difficult balance between the need for military deterrence and the pressures of the international community for restraint.
Netanyahu, however, seems determined to it brings the initiative back to the field of businessinsisting that “Israel’s security is non-negotiable”.