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US President Donald Trump said Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza was still holding after Israel carried out deadly strikes on the territory over alleged truce violations by Hamas.The dozens of strikes Israel carried out on Hamas positions in southern Gaza Sunday came after it accused the militant group of targeting its troops in “a blatant violation” of the nine-day-old truce.Asked by reporters whether the truce was still in effect, Trump said: “Yeah, it is”. The US president, who helped broker the deal, also suggested that Hamas leadership was not involved in any alleged breaches, instead blaming “some rebels within”.”We want to make sure that it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas,” Trump said. “It’s going to be handled toughly, but properly.”Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas authority, said the strikes killed at least 45 people across the territory.Four hospitals in Gaza confirmed the death toll of 45 to AFP, saying they had received the dead and wounded.Israel’s military said it was looking into the reports of casualties.Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.The army said it had “renewed enforcement of the ceasefire” on Sunday but vowed to “respond firmly to any violation of it”.Hamas denied the accusations, one official accusing Israel of fabricating “pretexts” to resume the war.A security official also told AFP that Israel was suspending the entry of aid into Gaza due to ceasefire violations.Israel repeatedly cut off aid to Gaza during the war, exacerbating dire humanitarian conditions, with the United Nations saying it caused a famine there.- ‘Blood has returned’ -The ceasefire, which began on October 10, halted more than two years of devastating war between Israel and Hamas.The deal established the outline for hostage and prisoner exchanges, and proposed an ambitious roadmap for Gaza’s future. But it has quickly faced challenges to its implementation. Israel said on Sunday that two of its soldiers died in clashes in the city of Rafah. “Earlier today, terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and opened fire on IDF (Israeli army) forces,” in Rafah, the military said in a statement. “The IDF responded with air strikes by fighter jets and artillery fire, targeting the Rafah area.” Palestinian witnesses told AFP clashes erupted in the southern city in an area still held by Israel.One witness, a 38-year-old man who asked not to be named, said that Hamas had been fighting a local Palestinian gang known as Abu Shabab but the militants were “surprised by the presence of army tanks”.”The air force conducted two strikes from the air,” he added.Abdullah Abu Hasanin, 29, from Al‑Bureij camp in central Gaza where Israel launched strikes, said: “The situation is as if the war has returned anew.”We had hoped the agreement would hold, but the occupation respects nothing — not an agreement, not anything.”He said he had rushed to the site of the bombing to help, adding: “The scene is indescribable. Blood has returned again.”- ‘Security illusion’ -AFP images from Bureij showed Palestinians running for cover from the strikes, as well as the dead and wounded arriving at Deir al-Balah hospital, accompanied by grieving relatives.Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas would “pay a heavy price for every shot and every breach of the ceasefire”, adding Israel’s response would “become increasingly severe”.A statement from Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the ceasefire.Israel, it said, “continues to breach the agreement and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes”.Hamas’s armed wing insisted on Sunday that it had “no knowledge” of any clashes in Rafah.On Sunday, US Vice President JD Vance called on Gulf Arab countries to establish a “security infrastructure” to ensure that Hamas disarmed — a key part of the peace deal.Under Trump’s 20-point plan, Israeli forces have withdrawn beyond the so-called Yellow Line. That leaves them in control of around half of Gaza, including the territory’s borders but not its main cities.- Bodies returned -Hamas in turn has released 20 surviving hostages and is in the process of returning the remaining bodies of those who have died.Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Sunday, bringing the total number handed over to 150, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said.Israel has linked the reopening of the Rafah crossing — the main gateway into Gaza — to the recovery of all of the deceased.Hamas has said it needs time and technical assistance to recover the remaining bodies from under Gaza’s rubble.The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has killed at least 68,159 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.burs-jj/rlp/ceg/dhw

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was still in effect after the Israeli military carried out deadly strikes on Gaza over apparent truce violations by the Palestinian armed group. “Yeah, it is,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked if the ceasefire was still in place. He also suggested that Hamas leadership was not involved in any alleged breaches and instead blamed “some rebels within.””But either way, it’s going to be handled properly. It’s going to be handled toughly, but properly,” Trump added.Israel said it had resumed enforcing the Gaza ceasefire after it struck Hamas positions Sunday, having accused the group of targeting its troops in the most serious violence since the nine-day-old truce began.Gaza’s civil defense agency, which operates under Hamas authority, said at least 45 people had been killed across the territory in Israeli strikes. Israel’s military said it was looking into the reports of casualties.Trump expressed hope that the ceasefire he helped broker would hold. “We want to make sure that it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas,” he said. “As you know, they’ve been quite rambunctious. They’ve been doing some shooting, and we think maybe the leadership isn’t involved in that.”Shortly before Trump’s comments, his vice president, JD Vance, downplayed the renewed violence in Gaza, telling reporters there would be “fits and starts” in the truce. “Hamas is going to fire on Israel. Israel is going to have to respond,” he said. “So we think that it has the best chance for a sustainable peace. But even if it does that, it’s going to have hills and valleys, and we’re going to have to monitor the situation.”The truce in the Palestinian territory, which took effect on October 10, halted more than two years of devastating war that has seen Israel kill tens of thousands and reduce much of Gaza to rubble, after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.The deal established the outline for hostage and prisoner exchanges, and was proposed alongside an ambitious roadmap for Gaza’s future. But it has quickly faced challenges to its implementation. Vance called on Gulf Arab countries to establish a “security infrastructure” in order to ensure that Hamas is disarmed, a key part of the peace deal.”The Gulf Arab states, our allies, don’t have the security infrastructure in place yet to confirm that Hamas is disarmed,” he said.Vance said that a member of the Trump administration was “certainly” going to visit Israel “in the next few days” to monitor the situation.He did not confirm who that would be, but said “it might be me.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, touting his country’s abundant critical minerals as a way to loosen China’s grip over global supplies.At the same time, Albanese is hoping to secure Trump’s backing for a 2021 pact to arm Australia with silent, nuclear-powered attack submarines.Australians have a mostly …

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Israel said it had resumed enforcing a Gaza ceasefire after carrying out dozens of deadly strikes on Hamas positions Sunday, having accused the group of targeting its troops in the most serious violence since the nine-day-old truce began.Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas authority, said at least 45 people had been killed across the territory in Israeli strikes.Four hospitals in Gaza confirmed the death toll of 45 to AFP, saying they had received the dead and wounded.Israel’s military said it was looking into the reports of casualties.Later Sunday, the military said it had “renewed enforcement of the ceasefire” but vowed to “respond firmly to any violation of it”.The strikes began Sunday in response to what the Israeli military said in a statement had been a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire.The military had “begun a series of strikes against Hamas terror targets in the southern Gaza Strip”, the statement added.The Islamist group denied the accusations, one official accusing Israel of fabricating “pretexts” to resume the war.In a separate statement, the Israeli military said two of its soldiers “fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip”. The prime minister’s office later said they were killed in the city of Rafah.A security official also told AFP that Israel was suspending the entry of aid into Gaza due to ceasefire violations.Israel repeatedly cut off aid to the territory during the war, exacerbating dire humanitarian conditions, with the United Nations saying it caused a famine in northern Gaza.- ‘Blood has returned’ -The truce in the Palestinian territory, brokered by US President Donald Trump and taking effect on 10 October, halted more than two years of devastating war between Israel and Hamas.The deal established the outline for hostage and prisoner exchanges, and was proposed alongside an ambitious roadmap for Gaza’s future. But it has quickly faced challenges to its implementation. “Earlier today, terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and opened fire on IDF (army) forces,” in Rafah, the military said in a statement.”The IDF responded with air strikes by fighter jets and artillery fire, targeting the Rafah area,” the statement said. Palestinian witnesses told AFP clashes erupted in the southern city in an area still held by Israel.One witness, a 38-year-old man who asked not to be named, said that Hamas had been fighting a local Palestinian gang known as Abu Shabab but the militants were “surprised by the presence of army tanks”.”The air force conducted two strikes from the air,” he added.Abdullah Abu Hasanin, 29, from Al‑Bureij camp in central Gaza where Israel launched strikes, said: “The situation is as if the war has returned anew.”We had hoped the agreement would hold, but the occupation respects nothing — not an agreement, not anything.”He said he had rushed to the site of the bombing to help, adding: “The scene is indescribable. Blood has returned again.”AFP images from Bureij showed Palestinians running for cover from the strikes, as well as the dead and wounded arriving at Deir al-Balah hospital, accompanied by grieving relatives.- ‘Security illusion’ -Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas would “pay a heavy price for every shot and every breach of the ceasefire”, adding Israel’s response would “become increasingly severe”.A statement from Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the ceasefire.Israel, it said, “continues to breach the agreement and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes”.Hamas’s armed wing insisted on Sunday that the group was adhering to the ceasefire agreement with Israel and had “no knowledge” of any clashes in Rafah.Under Trump’s 20-point plan, Israeli forces have withdrawn beyond the so-called Yellow Line. That leaves them in control of around half of Gaza, including the territory’s borders but not its main cities.Hamas in turn has released 20 surviving hostages and is in the process of returning the remaining bodies of those who have died.The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has killed at least 68,159 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.- Bodies returned -On Sunday, Israel identified the latest two bodies returned overnight as Ronen Engel, a photojournalist and volunteer ambulance driver, and Thai farm worker Sonthaya Oakkharasri.Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Sunday, bringing the total number handed over to 150, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said.The issue of hostage bodies still in Gaza has become a sticking point in the ceasefire implementation.On Saturday, Israel had linked the reopening of the main gateway into the territory, the Rafah crossing, to the recovery of all of the deceased.The group has said it needs time and technical assistance to recover the remaining bodies from under Gaza’s rubble.burs-jj/rlp

Israel launched dozens of deadly strikes in Gaza on Sunday, targeting Hamas after accusing the group of attacking its troops, in the worst violence since the start of a ceasefire nine days ago. Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas authority, said at least 33 people had been killed across the territory. The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports of casualties. On Sunday evening, the Israeli military said in a statement: “In response to the blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement earlier today, the IDF (Israeli military) has begun a series of strikes against Hamas terror targets in the southern Gaza Strip.”The Islamist group denied the accusations, with one official accusing Israel of fabricating “pretexts” to resume the war.In a separate statement, the Israeli military said two of its soldiers “fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip”.A security official also told AFP that Israel was also suspending the entry of aid into Gaza, blaming “Hamas’s blatant violations” of the ceasefire.Israel repeatedly cut off aid to the territory during the war, exacerbating dire humanitarian conditions, with the United Nations saying it caused a famine in northern Gaza.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier on Sunday instructed security forces to take “strong action against terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip”, his office said in a statement, accusing Hamas of “a ceasefire violation”.Defence Minister Israel Katz then warned that the group would “pay a heavy price for every shot and every breach of the ceasefire”, adding Israel’s response would “become increasingly severe”.- ‘Blood has returned again’ -The truce in the Palestinian territory, brokered by US President Donald Trump and taking effect on 10 October, brought to a halt more than two years of devastating war between Israel and Hamas.The deal established the outline for hostage and prisoner exchanges, and was proposed alongside an ambitious roadmap for Gaza’s future but has quickly faced challenges to its implementation. “Earlier today, terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and opened fire on IDF (army) forces,” in Rafah, the military said in a statement.”The IDF responded with air strikes by fighter jets and artillery fire, targeting the Rafah area,” the statement said. Palestinian witnesses told AFP clashes erupted in the southern city of Rafah in an area still held by Israel.One witness, a 38-year-old man who asked not to be identified by name, said that Hamas had been fighting a local Palestinian gang known as Abu Shabab but the militants were “surprised by the presence of army tanks”.”The air force conducted two strikes from the air,” he said.Abdullah Abu Hasanin, 29, from Al‑Bureij camp in central Gaza where Israel launched strikes, said: “The situation is as if the war has returned anew. We had hoped the agreement would hold, but the occupation respects nothing — not an agreement not anything.”He said he had rushed to the site of the bombing to help, adding “the scene is indescribable. Blood has returned again”.- ‘Security illusion’ -A statement from Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the ceasefire and said Israel “continues to breach the agreement and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes”.Hamas’s armed wing insisted on Sunday that the group was adhering to the ceasefire agreement with Israel and had “no knowledge” of any clashes in Rafah.Under Trump’s 20-point plan, Israeli forces have withdrawn beyond the so-called Yellow Line, leaving them in control of around half of Gaza, including the territory’s borders but not its main cities.Hamas in turn has released 20 surviving hostages and is in the process of returning the remaining bodies of those who have died.The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has killed at least 68,159 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.- Bodies returned -On Sunday, Israel identified the latest two bodies returned overnight as Ronen Engel, a photojournalist and volunteer ambulance driver, and Thai farmworker Sonthaya Oakkharasri.Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Sunday, bringing the total number handed over to 150, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said. The issue of hostage bodies still in Gaza has become a sticking point in the ceasefire implementation.On Saturday, Israel had linked the reopening of the main gateway into the territory, the Rafah crossing, to the recovery of all of the deceased.The group has said it needs time and technical assistance to recover the remaining bodies from under Gaza’s rubble.burs-dc-csp/dcp/spm

Gaza’s nine-day-old ceasefire came under strain Sunday after the Israeli army said it launched air strikes in the territory’s south in response to attacks it claimed were carried out by Hamas militants against its forces.Hamas, however, maintained it was adhering to the truce, with one official accusing Israel of devising “pretexts” to resume its own attacks.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed security forces to take “strong action against terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip”, his office said in a statement, accusing Hamas of “a ceasefire violation”.The uneasy truce in the Palestinian territory, brokered by US President Donald Trump and taking effect on 10 October, brought to a halt more than two years of devastating war between Israel and Hamas.The deal established the outline for hostage and prisoner exchanges, and was proposed alongside an ambitious roadmap for Gaza’s future but has immediately faced challenges in implementation. “Earlier today, terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and opened fire on IDF (army) forces operating to destroy terrorist infrastructure in the Rafah area in accordance with the terms of the agreement,” the military said in a statement.”The IDF responded with air strikes by fighter jets and artillery fire, targeting the Rafah area,” the statement said. Earlier, an Israeli army official said Hamas fighters carried out “multiple attacks” on troops in territory under Israel’s control.Palestinian witnesses told AFP clashes erupted in the southern city of Rafah in an area still held by Israel.One witness, a 38-year-old man who asked not to be identified by name, said that Hamas had been fighting a local Palestinian gang known as Abu Shabab but the militants were “surprised by the presence of army tanks”.”The air force conducted two strikes from the air,” he said.The clashes broke out as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held meetings with government ministers. Afterwards, some ministers called for Israeli forces to resume their war against the Palestinian militant group.- ‘Security illusion’ -Earlier, national security minister and right-wing firebrand Itamar Ben Gvir urged the army to “fully resume fighting in the Strip with all force”.”The illusion that Hamas will repent, or even abide by the agreement it signed, is proving — as expected — dangerous to our security,” he added, calling for Hamas to be “completely annihilated”. A statement from Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the ceasefire and said Israel “continues to breach the agreement and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes”.Hamas’ armed wing insisted on Sunday that the group was adhering to the ceasefire agreement with Israel and had “no knowledge” of any clashes in Rafah.US peace envoy Steve Witkoff is expected in the Middle East next week to monitor progress in the ceasefire deal. Under Trump’s 20-point plan, Israeli forces have withdrawn beyond the so-called Yellow Line, leaving them in control of around half of Gaza, including the territory’s borders but not its main cities.Hamas in turn has released 20 surviving hostages and is in the process of returning the remaining bodies of those who have died.The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has killed at least 68,159 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.The health ministry has also said that since the ceasefire came into effect, 35 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire.Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.- Rafah crossing closed -On Sunday, Israel identified the latest two bodies returned overnight as Ronen Engel and Thai farmworker Sonthaya Oakkharasri.Engel, a resident of Nir Oz kibbutz, was abducted from his home aged 54 and killed during the October 7 attacks, with his body taken to Gaza. He was a photojournalist and volunteer ambulance driver for Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross in the southern Negev region.A farmworker at the Beeri kibbutz, Oakkharasri was also killed in the attack on Israel and his body held by Hamas in Gaza. He had a seven-year-old daughter.Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Sunday, bringing the total number handed over to 150, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said. The issue of hostage bodies still in Gaza has become a sticking point in the ceasefire implementation, with Israel linking the reopening of the main gateway into the territory to the recovery of all of the deceased.Relief agencies have called for the Rafah border crossing from Egypt to be reopened to speed the flow of food, fuel and medicines.Hamas has so far resisted disarming and, since the pause in fighting, has moved to reassert its control over Gaza.The group has said it needs time and technical assistance to recover the remaining bodies from under Gaza’s rubble.Netanyahu’s office said he had “directed that the Rafah crossing remain closed until further notice”.”Its reopening will be considered based on how Hamas fulfils its part in returning the hostages and the bodies of the deceased, and in implementing the agreed-upon framework,” it said.Hamas warned late Saturday that the closure of the Rafah crossing would cause “significant delays in the retrieval and transfer of remains”.burs-dc-csp/smw