Deadly Israeli strikes in Gaza cast doubt on ceasefire efforts

What This is

• Israeli airstrikes in Gaza this week killed at least 10 people, including in a strike on a police station, according to Gaza medics and authorities.
• Israel said some of the strikes targeted Hamas commanders or operatives, including near Gaza City’s port, and it reported hitting a meeting of elite Hamas figures.
• Palestinian and hospital sources said some strikes hit civilian sites in crowded displacement areas, including a café near the port that had become a camp.
• The renewed deadly strikes have cast doubt on the durability of the ceasefire that has technically been in place since October 2025.
• U.S. envoy Jared Kushner has been trying to revive a U.S.-backed “Board of Peace” roadmap, including rare talks with Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya and meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• A central dispute is sequencing: Netanyahu says Israel will not withdraw and reconstruction cannot move forward until Hamas fully disarms, while Hamas says Israel must halt attacks and withdraw first.
• Kushner and Netanyahu reportedly clashed over Israel continuing strikes to hunt down people tied to the Oct. 7 attacks, with Kushner urging a narrower standard focused on “imminent” threats.
• Israel’s military has opened criminal investigations into the killing of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family and the shooting deaths of 15 Palestinian paramedics, but declined to open criminal probes into some other aid-worker cases.
• The Trump administration notified Congress it will provide over $206 million to support a proposed International Stabilization Force for Gaza, but the broader plan remains stalled.
• Separate reporting says Israeli forces have expanded control inside Gaza beyond 60% by advancing a “yellow line,” which Israel says is defensive while Palestinians and UN-linked experts describe it as squeezing civilians westward.

Why This Matters

• The strikes and raids show how fragile the Gaza ceasefire is, and how quickly the conflict can slide back into broader fighting.
• The disarmament-versus-withdrawal standoff blocks both reconstruction and a workable postwar government, leaving civilians stuck in long-term emergency conditions.
• Disputes over whether targets are military or civilian deepen mistrust and raise the risk of further civilian harm in dense displacement areas.
• How Israel investigates alleged wrongdoing will shape international confidence, legal pressure, and future cooperation on security and aid delivery.