Although Hamas declared that it was not an attack against Israel but rather related to an opposing agreement, the attack in Rafah, Gaza, has opened Pandora’s box of war in the region. The Israeli military launched bombing attacks in the Khan Younis area, in southern Gaza Strip, starting from Sunday afternoon, October 19, as announced by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). Israel attributes the attack to a “flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement earlier today.” The targets, according to reports, are terrorist objectives.
Read: Gaza war renamed “war of revival” – Netanyahu’s proposal passes
A military source reports that one of the targets is a tunnel system that had previously been used by Hamas to hold Israeli hostages. Palestinian media outlets publish images showing the attacks in the Khan Younis area.
Gaza ceasefire “cracking”: American advice
The United States, the main mediator of the permanent ceasefire agreement in Gaza, however, is not particularly concerned. A report from Israeli N12 stated that the Trump administration had been informed in advance of the planned attacks through the American command overseeing the ceasefire, according to senior American and Israeli officials. A senior Israeli official noted that Israel did not seek US approval for the strikes.
Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, held a phone conference with Israeli Minister Ron Dermer and other officials to coordinate and discuss next steps, according to an American official.
According to Axios, the American official stated that the United States urged Israel to “respond proportionally but exercise restraint.” N12 reported, for its part, that Washington told Tel Aviv: “Respond proportionally, without destroying the agreement.”
There was concern
Additionally, Axios features statements from a Trump administration official: “We knew this was going to happen. And the more these people are allowed to attack each other, the more they will continue to do so.” The same report states that the Trump administration is expected to increase its control over the implementation of the Gaza peace agreement to ensure it doesn’t collapse, according to American officials.
“The next 30 days will be critical,” a US official said. “We are now responsible for what happens in Gaza regarding the implementation of the agreement. We will have the final word,” he warned. Another official emphasized regarding Sunday’s attacks that since Trump’s visit to the region last week, both Hamas and Israel have taken actions that raised concerns about advancing the agreement’s implementation.
He then commented: “The situation remains very uncertain,” the American official said. “Hamas, or what’s left of it, believed things would continue as usual. And the Israelis believed it too. Therefore, we must not let them fail. The Gulf states share the same view.”
Source: Quds News Network
