KEY POINTS
- Israeli forces shelled Gaza, detonated buildings and opened fire in Khan Younis, violating the US-brokered ceasefire.
- Gaza media office says Israel has committed hundreds of violations, killing 373 Palestinians since the truce began.
- Israeli army chief called the “Yellow Line” a new forward border where troops will remain.
- Netanyahu said Israel expects to enter the second phase of the US-backed ceasefire plan soon.
- US, Israeli and Qatari officials met in New York to stabilise the truce.
- UN agencies warned that humanitarian aid remains far below Gaza’s needs.
GAZA CITY, Palestine: Israeli forces carried out fresh shelling, detonations and gunfire in parts of the Gaza Strip on Monday, local sources said, in continued violations of the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10.
Local witnesses and Gaza media, cited by Anadolu news agency, said Israeli troops detonated residential buildings in western Rafah and opened fire to the east of the city. The army also reportedly used artillery and helicopters east of Khan Younis.
The ceasefire agreement, which took effect on October 10, ended Israel’s relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza since October 2023 that left more than 70,000 Palestinians killed and over 171,000 wounded.
Israeli forces detonated residential buildings in western Rafah, an area fully under their control under the ceasefire terms, and opened fire east of the city, local sources said, as cited by Anadolu.
Israel has committed hundreds of ceasefire violations, killing 373 Palestinians and injuring 970 others since the October 10 ceasefire agreement, according to the Gaza media office.
Meanwhile, Israel’s chief of staff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, said the demarcation where Israeli troops have pulled back — the so-called “Yellow Line” — is effectively a “new border” and a forward defensive line, a military statement said.
He added that the Israeli army would remain on those lines, according to the military statement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told reporters he expected to move into the second phase of the US-sponsored ceasefire plan “very shortly”.
He warned the next phase would be more difficult, according to media reports from his joint appearance with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Diplomatic push to stabilise truce
Senior officials from the United States, Israel and Qatar held a meeting in New York on Sunday as diplomats sought to shore up the fragile agreement.
The meeting — described by Axios as the highest-level contact between the three since the ceasefire deal — was hosted by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and included Mossad director David Barnea and a senior Qatari official.
Meanwhile, Humanitarian agencies say aid deliveries remain far below needs in Gaza.
UN and relief officials report severe malnutrition among children and limited access for major UN operations.
Tamara Alrifai of UNRWA warned that much of the cargo reaching Gaza has been commercial rather than humanitarian and that principal aid agencies are not getting sufficient access.
Phase two of the US plan foresees arrangements for Gaza’s governance and an international stabilisation force in Gaza.
