Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
More than 112 days into a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, reports of Israeli military violations continue to emerge, even as diplomatic efforts focus on sustaining the truce and advancing broader de-escalation measures. The ongoing breaches come amid a deepening humanitarian crisis, with Gaza’s population facing severe shortages of shelter supplies and harsh winter conditions.
According to Palestinian media reports, Israeli military vehicles opened heavy fire near the Morag axis north of Rafah, while additional gunfire was reported in eastern areas of Khan Younis. Israeli forces also reportedly fired east of Gaza City, incidents confirmed by the Palestinian News Agency Wafa. The repeated exchanges have heightened fears of a gradual erosion of the ceasefire agreement, which was brokered with international mediation.
In southern Gaza, the Israeli military said its forces identified what it described as “eight armed individuals” emerging from underground infrastructure east of Rafah in the early hours of the morning. In a statement, the army said Israeli airstrikes killed three of them. Palestinian sources reported that the incident occurred despite the ceasefire remaining formally in place.
Elsewhere in the enclave, at least one Palestinian was killed and several civilians were wounded when Israeli aircraft struck a residential gathering in the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. Medical sources at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed the casualties, adding to a growing toll from sporadic strikes and shelling since the truce began.
The security developments coincide with renewed international attention on the political dimensions of the Gaza ceasefire. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Hamas had played a significant role in assisting efforts to recover the remains of Israeli hostages, marking an unusually conciliatory tone toward the group during his first cabinet meeting of 2026.
“Many people said Hamas would never disarm,” Trump said. “It appears they may disarm, and they have already helped us in searching for the bodies of the hostages.” He added that Hamas’ cooperation in recovering the remains of Israeli captives was a notable development within the framework of the ceasefire.
Trump’s comments followed the handover of several bodies of Israeli hostages, some of whom were killed in the Rafah area in southern Gaza. The remarks were met with mixed reactions, as Israeli officials continue to insist that Hamas must be fully dismantled, while mediators emphasize incremental confidence-building steps to preserve the truce.
Humanitarian agencies warn that ongoing military activity, even at lower intensity, is exacerbating already dire living conditions in Gaza. With limited access to heating, tents, and reconstruction materials, thousands of displaced families remain exposed to extreme cold, while aid deliveries remain insufficient to meet growing needs.
Observers say the current phase of the ceasefire represents a critical test for all parties involved. While diplomatic channels remain active and hostage-related arrangements have provided limited momentum, continued violations on the ground risk undermining trust and pushing the situation back toward open confrontation.
As regional and international actors work to prevent a collapse of the ceasefire, the situation in Gaza underscores the fragile balance between military realities, humanitarian imperatives, and political negotiations that continue to shape the conflict’s trajectory.
