The Gaza Strip witnessed a new escalation on Sunday 19 October, days after the ceasefire was announced, with continuous Israeli air strikes resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries in various areas, while senior Israeli ministers called for the resumption of the genocide.

51 martyrs since the ceasefire

Medical sources in Gaza Strip hospitals reported that Israel has killed 51 Palestinians and injured more than 150 others since the ceasefire was declared, indicating the fragility of the truce and the continuation of Israeli violations.

Israel carries out new raids in Al-Zawayda and Jabalia

A source at Al-Aqsa Hospital revealed that five Palestinians were killed and others wounded in an Israeli bombardment of the town of Al-Zawayda in the centre of the Strip. In northern Gaza, two Palestinians were killed and others wounded in an Israeli air strike east of Jabalia.

20 Israeli raids after the ‘Rafah incident’

Israel’s broadcaster Channel 14 reported that the Israeli army launched about 20 air strikes on targets in various areas of the Strip following what it described as a ‘security incident in Rafah’ in southern Gaza, without providing details of the incident.

Channel 14 reported an explosion in an Israeli army engineering vehicle in the Rafah area, noting that the causes remain unknown.

Al-Qassam denies involvement and affirms commitment to agreement

For its part, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, denied any connection to the events in Rafah, affirming in a statement that it is fully committed to the ceasefire agreement. It stressed that the Rafah area is a ‘red zone’ under occupation control, adding that communication with its affiliated groups there has been cut off since the war resumed last March.

Israel ministers calls to resume fighting

On the Israeli side, Channel 12 reported that far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the resumption of fighting in Gaza, citing ‘violations of the agreement in Rafah,’ while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had previously called for a similar move.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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