Israel resumes ceasefire after strikes kill at least 45 in Gaza. Image: BBC.
(The Post News)- Israel’s military launched at least 20 airstrikes on southern Gaza as the United States-brokered ceasefire intended to end the two-year war came under threat. The strikes resulted in the deaths of at least 45 Palestinians, marking the most serious escalation since the ceasefire’s inception.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Sunday, 19 October 2025, that they carried out a “massive and extensive wave” of strikes on dozens of targets in Rafah after their troops came under fire from Hamas fighters.
Gaza’s civil defense agency stated that the Israeli air strikes killed 45 people and wounded many. Four hospitals in Gaza confirmed the death toll, noting that they had received the dead and wounded. The IDF said it was “looking into the reports of casualties.”
In a statement, the IDF said the strikes were launched in retaliation for what it described as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire by Hamas. The IDF added that they vow to “respond firmly to any violation of it.”
The IDF said that Palestinian fighters had fired anti-tank missiles and opened fire on their forces operating in Rafah, prompting what it described as “retaliatory strikes by fighter jets and artillery.”
Hamas denied the accusations, saying Israel was fabricating “flimsy pretexts” to resume hostilities. In its statement, the al-Qassam Brigades stated that “Contact with our remaining groups there has been cut off since the resumption of war in March of this year.
So, we have no ties to events in those areas, and we can’t contact our fighters there, if any are still alive.
Israel Resumes Ceasefire
Hours later, the IDF announced that it had resumed enforcing the Gaza ceasefire. “Based on directives from the political leadership, and after a series of decisive strikes in response to Hamas violations, we have begun re-implementing the ceasefire,” said the IDF. According to an Israeli security official who spoke in anonymity, the aid deliveries would resume Monday.
US President Donald Trump reported as he arrived in Washington, DC, on Sunday, the ceasefire was still in place. He stated that Hamas had been “rambunctious, and they’ve been doing some shooting,” but that it might be “some rebels within” the armed group. “Either way, it’s going to be handled properly. Toughly but properly,” Trump said.
Hamas has released all living hostages, as well as the remains of 12 out of 28 of those deceased. Israel has freed 250 Palestinian prisoners in its jails and 1,718 detainees from Gaza and returned 15 bodies of Palestinians in return for every Israeli hostage’s remains.
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