Israel escalated its airstrikes on Gaza over the weekend, a move that casts doubt on the implementation of a U.S.-backed agreement aimed at disarming Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained publicly silent regarding the deal, which former President Donald Trump has described as "a big step for the Middle East" and stated Israel was "very happy" with.
These recent strikes mark a significant intensification of hostilities since the October cease-fire, an agreement intended to halt fighting that had already resulted in the deaths of over 67,000 Palestinians. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, the Palestinian death toll has now risen to 73,000. Israeli officials report that five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the cease-fire, including one in a friendly fire incident. The conflict originally began on October 7, 2023, when the militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities.