Gaza Herald – The Israeli occupation forces have once again violated the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, launching artillery and air attacks across multiple areas of the Strip just hours after the Israeli government formally approved the deal meant to end its two-year genocidal war.
The fragile truce, which officially came into effect at 2 a.m. Friday, was meant to mark the beginning of a permanent cessation of aggression and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops to the so-called “yellow line.” Yet, instead of silence, residents of Gaza woke to renewed bombardment, smoke, and the echoes of explosions.
Local resources confirmed that heavy Israeli shelling targeted the northwestern parts of Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza shortly after midnight, while airstrikes and smoke bombs hit residential areas in Gaza City and Khan Younis, where displaced civilians were beginning to return to their neighborhoods.
Medical sources reported multiple casualties, including two Palestinians killed and several others injured, following Israeli fire on Hamad City in southern Gaza. The latest attacks came less than 24 hours after Israeli forces committed yet another massacre in Gaza City, killing 27 Palestinians, 18 of them in a single strike.
According to the ceasefire agreement brokered in Sharm el-Sheikh under Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish, and U.S. mediation, Israel was to begin an immediate halt to all hostilities, followed by a gradual withdrawal within 72 hours and the exchange of prisoners, including the release of 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 detainees from Gaza, along with women and children. Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya confirmed the agreement guarantees a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal, and unrestricted humanitarian access through Rafah Crossing, emphasizing that these terms were secured through international guarantees, including from the United States.
Despite Israel’s formal approval, delayed four times and finalized in the presence of U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, its military continues to defy the deal on the ground. Forces remain stationed in several urban centers, blocking critical routes such as al-Rashid Street, Gaza’s coastal lifeline, and firing on civilians attempting to return home.
Civil Defense officials have urged residents to avoid recently evacuated areas due to the presence of unexploded ordnance and the risk of renewed shelling. As Gaza breathes under the illusion of peace, its people are left wondering whether this ceasefire marks the end of the genocide, or merely another pause in a cycle of destruction and betrayal.
