Israel temporarily halted humanitarian aid shipments into Gaza on Sunday following deadly attacks by terrorists in Rafah but reversed course within an hour amid American pressure, pledging to resume deliveries on Monday.
The initial freeze was announced after two Israeli soldiers were killed and a third seriously wounded in a missile attack on an IDF engineering unit operating near a Hamas tunnel. The strike, deemed a ceasefire violation by Israeli officials, triggered broad retaliatory airstrikes across Gaza, including in central areas previously spared due to the presence of hostages.
IDF strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza
(Video: IDF)
A statement issued Sunday evening declared the aid suspension would remain in place “until further notice.” But within an hour, a senior Israeli official clarified that the halt was “due to the airstrikes,” and that aid trucks would move once operations concluded. Behind the scenes, U.S. officials reportedly pressed Israel to restore aid flows, leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to commit to a Monday deadline to resume aid.
The move highlights the fragile balance Israel faces under the U.S.-brokered truce, which includes daily entry of up to 600 aid trucks carrying food, medicine, fuel and cooking gas. The agreement has come under strain from repeated flare-ups, with Sunday’s attack the most serious breach to date.
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Humanitarian aid convoy entering Gaza through Rafah crossing
(Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)
Also tied to the escalation is the closure of the Rafah crossing, which Israel says will remain shut until the militant group Hamas returns the bodies of deceased hostages at a “reasonable pace.”
A senior security official insisted the strike response did not signify a collapse of the ceasefire. “This is not a breakdown of the agreement — it’s cause and effect,” he said. “There was a violation, and there is punishment. The ceasefire doesn’t need rescuing.”
IDF eliminates armed terrorist cell in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza
(Video: IDF)
IDF strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza
(Video: Eli Meiri)
Gaza health officials reported at least 15 dead in the IDF’s retaliatory strikes, including in central refugee camps that had previously been exempt from ground operations.
Despite Hamas denying involvement in the Rafah attack, Israel has maintained that the group bears responsibility and warned that further violations would trigger intensified responses. U.S. officials, meanwhile, continue to mediate behind the scenes in an effort to stabilize the fragile arrangement.