Trump Says Gaza Ceasefire Still in Force After Israeli Strikes

AFP/APP

Gaza City): US President Donald Trump said Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza remains in effect, despite deadly Israeli strikes on the territory over alleged truce violations by Hamas.

The strikes targeted Hamas positions in southern Gaza after Israel accused the militant group of attacking its troops in what it described as a “blatant violation” of the nine-day-old truce.

Asked by reporters whether the truce was still in effect, Trump said, “Yeah, it is.” The US president, who helped broker the deal, suggested that Hamas leadership was not involved in the alleged breaches, blaming “some rebels within” instead.

“We want to make sure that it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas,” Trump added. “It’s going to be handled toughly, but properly.”

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/gaza-peace-2025-10-takeaways-from-a-historic-breakthrough/

Gaza’s civil defence agency, operating under Hamas authority, said the strikes killed at least 45 people across the territory. Four hospitals in Gaza confirmed the death toll to AFP, reporting that they had received the dead and wounded.

Israel’s military said it was reviewing the casualty reports. Media restrictions in Gaza and limited access to many areas make independent verification of casualties and details difficult.

The Israeli army said it had “renewed enforcement of the ceasefire” on Sunday but vowed to “respond firmly to any violation of it.”

Hamas denied the accusations, with one official accusing Israel of fabricating “pretexts” to resume hostilities. A security official also told AFP that Israel was suspending the entry of aid into Gaza due to alleged ceasefire violations.

Israel has repeatedly cut off aid to Gaza during the conflict, worsening already dire humanitarian conditions, which the United Nations has described as famine-like.