Hamas Delegation Meets Egyptian Intelligence Chief as Ceasefire Violations Mount in Gaza:

A senior Hamas delegation has held high-level talks in Cairo with Egypt’s intelligence chief, Hassan Rashad, amid growing tensions over what the group says are repeated Israeli breaches of the ceasefire agreement. The meeting came as Palestinians in Gaza buried dozens of people killed in a new wave of Israeli air raids over the weekend. In a statement released on Sunday, Hamas said it reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which was negotiated last month through Egyptian, Qatari and US mediation. However, the group accused Israel of “continued violations” that it warned could “undermine the deal entirely.” Hamas called for a “clear and defined mechanism,” overseen by the mediators, to monitor and address any breaches by either side. The Hamas delegation, which included the movement’s exiled Gaza leader Khalil al-Hayya, also raised urgent concerns regarding its fighters who remain trapped in tunnel networks in the Rafah area—territory now under Israeli military control. According to the group, communication with these fighters has been completely severed since Israel’s takeover of the zone. The Cairo meeting took place just hours after Israeli forces launched a series of air attacks across the Gaza Strip. The strikes destroyed homes, makeshift shelters, and vehicles, killing at least 24 Palestinians, including children. The Israeli military said it had targeted Hamas fighters following an incident in which a gunman allegedly crossed into an Israeli-controlled zone to attack Israeli soldiers. It claimed a local Hamas commander was among those killed in the operation. Hamas rejected the Israeli account, accusing Israel of fabricating the incident to justify renewed attacks. The group urged Egypt, Qatar and the United States to “intervene immediately” and pressure Israel to halt what it described as systematic violations of the ceasefire. According to the Gaza Government Media Office, Israel has violated the ceasefire at least 497 times since it took effect on October 10. The office says 342 civilians have been killed in the attacks, most of them children, women and elderly Palestinians. Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum said residents fear the violence could widen. “It’s very hard to say that there’s any real reduction in Israel’s attacks,” he said. “We are seeing continuous airstrikes beyond the ‘yellow line,’ which marks the Israeli-controlled zone. Civilian infrastructure is being levelled, turning large areas into barren stretches of land.” Abu Azzoum added that people are increasingly sceptical that the ceasefire agreement will move to phase two, citing ongoing Israeli restrictions on aid access and reconstruction materials. “People are still waiting to see whether the deal can even hold,” he noted. Under phase one of the ceasefire—based on the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump—both sides were to exchange captives and prisoners, allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, and reopen the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Hamas says it has fulfilled its part, releasing all remaining living captives and returning dozens of bodies, except for three. Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, including some serving life sentences, but continues to enforce tight restrictions on border crossings. Humanitarian groups say these limitations are crippling aid deliveries. Israel has also refused to allow the reopening of the Rafah crossing. Phase two of the deal envisions Gaza being administered by a technocratic Palestinian committee, operating under the oversight of a “Board of Peace” led by Trump. The plan also calls for a temporary International Stabilisation Force to secure border areas, train Palestinian police, and oversee Gaza’s demilitarisation. Hamas, however, insists it will not disarm while Israeli occupation persists. The Trump plan states that no Palestinian will be forced to leave Gaza and that Israel “will not occupy or annex” the territory. The plan has since been endorsed by the UN Security Council.

NEWS