Israel accuses Hamas of violating Gaza truce, says it will respond

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas on Dec 24 of violating the Gaza ceasefire agreement after a military officer was wounded by an explosive device in Rafah and Israel vowed retaliation.

His office said in a statement that Hamas must fully uphold the October agreement
, noting that it envisaged the militant group being removed from power in Gaza as well as demilitarisation and deradicalisation of the territory.

“Israel will respond accordingly,” the statement added.

The Israeli military earlier said that an explosive device had detonated against a military vehicle in the southern Rafah area of Gaza and that one officer had been lightly injured.

Violence has subsided but not stopped
since the Gaza truce took effect on Oct 10, and the sides have regularly accused each other of violating the ceasefire.

Gaza’s health ministry says Israel has killed more than 400 people in the territory since the ceasefire went into effect.

A 20-point plan issued by US President Donald Trump
in September calls for an initial truce, followed by steps towards a wider peace.

It ultimately calls for Hamas to disarm and have no governing role in Gaza and for Israel to pull out of the territory, which remains in ruins after two years of war.

The sides have not fully agreed to everything in it. Hamas has said it will only hand over its arms if a Palestinian state is established. REUTERS