Overview
- After an explosive device wounded an Israeli officer in Rafah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire and vowed a response, according to his office.
- Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel will never fully leave Gaza and intends to set up Nahal military outposts in the north, a stance at odds with the agreement’s withdrawal provisions.
- The IPC’s latest assessment says the spread of famine has been averted since the October truce, yet Gaza remains in highly fragile food insecurity that requires sustained, unhindered assistance.
- Aid volumes and access are still contested, with Israel saying it meets the 600-trucks-per-day threshold as WFP and Gaza-based data report far lower averages and the UN warns needs outpace deliveries.
- Reports of continued ceasefire violations include two Palestinians shot dead in Gaza City and hundreds of recorded incidents, while winter storms, collapsing damaged buildings and severe medicine shortages intensify shelter and health crises.