The Israel Defense Forces struck the southern Gaza city of Rafah after Hamas fired an anti-tank missile at the IDF, according to DW.
Incident Details
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) accused the Hamas militant group of violating a ceasefire agreement and confirmed a retaliatory strike on the group’s infrastructure in Rafah, southern Gaza.
«This morning, terrorists launched anti-tank missiles and fired at IDF forces,» stated the IDF on its Telegram channel.
The Israeli forces responded with airstrikes and artillery to «eliminate the threat.»
«This is considered a gross violation of the ceasefire agreement, and the IDF will take decisive measures,» added the Israeli military.
Hamas Denies Attack
DPA reported that a senior Hamas official denied the accusation of violating the ceasefire agreement. In a statement, the official blamed Israel for the breach, accusing the IDF of using a «fabricated pretext.»
Media outlets linked to Hamas claimed that the militant operation in Rafah targeted a leader of another group in the area, not Israel, according to The Times of Israel.
The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip came into effect on October 10. The Israeli army ended hostilities and withdrew, while Hamas began releasing surviving captives and returning the bodies of the deceased as part of the exchange.
