The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on March 17, 2024, that it conducted airstrikes against Hamas in Rafah, following a violation of the ceasefire by the Palestinian militant group. Earlier that day, Hamas reportedly fired an anti-tank missile and opened gunfire on Israeli military engineering vehicles operating in the area.
In response to the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled a situational assessment with Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir to evaluate Israel’s strategic response. The IDF did not initially verify the details surrounding the missile strike.
A senior official from Hamas, Izzat al-Rishq, accused Netanyahu of undermining the ceasefire agreement under pressure from his right-wing coalition partners. Al-Rishq stated that Hamas remains committed to the ceasefire, claiming, “the Zionist occupation continues to violate the deal and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes.” He further suggested that Netanyahu is attempting to evade his commitments to international mediators in order to appease his “extremist terrorist coalition.”
Following the reports of the Israeli strike, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Netanyahu to “order the IDF to fully resume fighting in the Gaza Strip at full strength.” He characterized Hamas as a “Nazi terrorist organization” that must be completely eradicated. Additionally, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed his sentiments on social media, simply posting “War!” on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The situation escalated following a warning from the United States State Department, which stated it had informed nations guaranteeing the Gaza ceasefire of “credible reports” indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas. The department emphasized that any planned attack against Palestinian civilians would constitute a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas dismissed the U.S. warning as aligning with what it described as Israel’s misleading propaganda.
Since the ceasefire commenced, Hamas has reportedly killed at least 32 individuals in a series of targeted attacks against anti-Hamas clans in the Gaza Strip.
As the situation continues to develop, the international community remains watchful. The complexities of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas persist, with both sides exchanging accusations amidst the fragile ceasefire agreement.
