Tensions rise as Israel and Hamas trade blame over ceasefire violations
However, both sides have accused each other of violating the agreement, deepening uncertainty over whether the truce can last long enough to move towards the next phase of the plan. Under the agreement, Hamas was to release all remaining 48 living and deceased hostages by Monday. The group handed over 20 surviving captives and 10 bodies, though Israeli officials later said one of the corpses was not that of a hostage. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has since demanded the return of all remaining bodies, while Hamas has accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire through attacks that killed more than 20 people in recent days. Despite the tension, some signs of calm have returned to Gaza. Residents have begun to return to Gaza City, once devastated by months of bombardment, with families travelling north carrying their belongings on trucks and rebuilding makeshift shelters on cleared plots. The truce has brought a brief respite for civilians, but both sides remain divided over the implementation of the peace plan’s next steps, including the disarmament of Hamas and Israel’s military withdrawal from the enclave.
