Overview

• Israel says Hamas fighters opened fire on an IDF engineering vehicle in Rafah, prompting airstrikes and an order from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hit terrorist targets.
• Hamas denies breaching the truce at Rafah and frames its recent actions as internal security operations against armed gangs, as the U.S. cautions of a possible imminent Hamas attack on Gaza civilians.
• Israel keeps the Rafah crossing closed until Hamas returns all hostage remains; the ICRC transferred two additional bodies for identification, and Hamas cites rubble and unexploded ordnance as obstacles to recovery.
• Gaza’s civil defense reports at least 11 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, including an incident involving a vehicle that crossed the ‘yellow line’ demarcation, with the IDF planning clearer physical markers.
• U.S. envoys move to shore up the deal as J.D. Vance plans a visit to Israel and Steve Witkoff coordinates next steps, while discussions continue on an international stabilization force likely led by Egypt with Azerbaijan offering troops and Israel’s Ben Gvir presses to resume full-scale combat.