The Gaza Press Office reported that since the ceasefire began in early October, Israel has violated the agreement with Hamas 47 times. According to authorities in the enclave, these attacks have killed 38 Palestinians and injured another 143.
“These violations include deliberate targeting of civilians, intentional attacks, and arrests of noncombatants, reflecting a continued policy of aggression despite the declared end of the war,” the official statement said.
The Gaza administration appealed to “the United Nations and the parties that guaranteed the agreement’s implementation,” urging them to “intervene immediately to compel the occupying forces to end their aggression and protect the unarmed civilian population.”
Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Rafah border crossing—through which humanitarian aid enters the enclave—will remain closed until Hamas returns the bodies of all deceased hostages. “Prime Minister Netanyahu has ordered that the Rafah crossing remain closed until further notice,” his office said. “Its reopening will be considered depending on how Hamas fulfills its obligations to return the bodies and honor the agreed terms.”
On Friday, Israeli forces killed eleven members of a single Palestinian family—the deadliest incident since the ceasefire took effect eight days ago. According to Gaza’s Civil Defense, the family was returning home to the Zeitoun neighborhood when their bus was attacked for crossing the so-called “yellow line,” a notional boundary separating zones under Israeli military control.
“They crossed the so-called ‘yellow line’—an imaginary boundary designated by the Israeli army,” said Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal. “I’m certain the family couldn’t distinguish between the yellow and red lines, as there are no actual markings on the ground.”
Footage released by Gaza’s Civil Defense shows the bodies of the victims being pulled from the wreckage with help from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Among the dead were seven children and three women.
The Israel Defense Forces said that “a suspicious vehicle crossed the yellow line and approached a unit operating in northern Gaza.” The military claimed it fired warning shots, but the vehicle continued moving, “posing an immediate threat,” prompting forces to open fire “in accordance with the agreement.”
Israel and Hamas continue to accuse each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire. Israel claims that militants have failed to fulfill their obligations to return the bodies of hostages. On Monday, Hamas handed over to Israel the last 20 surviving captives but only 10 of the 28 deceased, saying that recovering the remaining bodies from under the rubble requires specialized rescue equipment.
Turkey has deployed dozens of disaster-response specialists to help retrieve the bodies trapped beneath the debris. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll has now exceeded 68,000. Civil Defense estimates that around 10,000 bodies may still be buried under the ruins, with the total volume of rubble reaching 60 million tons.
Netanyahu’s office said that among the bodies returned by Hamas, Israeli citizen Eliyahu Margalit has been identified. That same day, Israel handed over another 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza—135 in total since the exchange began. Doctors at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported that the bodies bore signs of torture and execution: blindfolds, bound hands, and gunshot wounds to the head.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations warn that a week after the start of the ceasefire, the situation in Gaza remains critical: food deliveries are being delayed due to Israeli inspections.
The Palestinian Embassy in Egypt announced that starting Monday, Gaza residents currently in Egypt will be allowed to return home through the Rafah crossing.
On the same day, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that one person was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting construction equipment in the country’s south. Israel continues to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory despite the ceasefire signed in November, which ended more than a year of clashes with Hezbollah and two months of open warfare.