Israel says it will respond to Hamas ‘violation’ of Gaza deal, Hamas denies
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would retaliate after an army officer was wounded in an explosion in Gaza, while Hamas denied responsibility, suggesting that an explosive device had been left in the conflict.
In his speech at the pilot graduation ceremony, Netanyahu mentioned the attack in Rafah, the part of Gaza where the Israeli army is still active, and said that Hamas has made it clear that it has no plan to disarm as predicted under the October peace agreement.
“Israel will respond accordingly,” he said.
Earlier, the Israeli army said that an explosive device exploded in a military vehicle in the Rafah area and one police officer was slightly injured.
Hamas said the incident took place in an area under full Israeli military control and warned that explosives remained in the area and elsewhere since the start of the war, reiterating its commitment to the October 10 ceasefire.
Hamas chief Mahmoud Merdawi said in a previous text to X that the mediators had been informed of the matter.
The Israeli delegation in Cairo
An Israeli delegation met with officials of mediating countries in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss efforts to recover the bodies of the last Israeli prisoner, police officer Ran Gvili, from Gaza, Netanyahu’s office said later on Wednesday.
The team included officers from the Israeli army, Shin Bet domestic intelligence and Mossad intelligence.
The 20-point plan released by US President Donald Trump in September calls for an initial agreement followed by steps towards a broader peace. So far, only the first phase has worked, including a ceasefire, the release of hostages and prisoners, and the withdrawal of part of Israel.
Chief political reporter Rosemary Barton talks to Nathan Brown of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about the challenges ahead of a peace deal between Israel and Hamas. Also, Roger Carstens, former US special envoy for hostage issues, talks about what this means for regional stability.
Trump’s plan ultimately calls for Hamas to disarm and have no governing role in Gaza, and for Israel to withdraw. Hamas has said it will only supply weapons once a Palestinian state is established, which Israel says it will never allow.
The violence has subsided but has not stopped since the Gaza accord came into effect on October 10, with the sides constantly accusing each other of violating the ceasefire. The Ministry of Health in Gaza says that Israel has killed more than 400 people in the area since the operation began. Three Israeli soldiers were killed in terrorist attacks.
Hamas “publicly declares that it has no intention of disarming, in total opposition to President Trump’s 20-point plan,” Netanyahu said.
Trump, Netanyahu will meet to discuss the next phase
Netanyahu said Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which Israel weakened in strikes last year that also ended in the termination of the US deal, also had no intention of disarming “and we are fixing that.”
Israel still needs to settle accounts with the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen and Iran itself, he added.
“As these old threats change, new threats arise in the morning and evening. We don’t want to argue, but our eyes are open to every possible danger,” said Netanyahu.
Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump next week, mainly to discuss the next phase of the US president’s plan in Gaza.
Hamas said in a statement released later Wednesday that a delegation led by its chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, discussed Gaza with the Turkish foreign minister in Ankara.
Al-Hayya warned of what he described as Israel’s continued violations of the ceasefire, saying they intend to prevent progress to the next phase of the ceasefire agreement.
