Six killed in Rafah firefight IDF dubbed ‘blatant violation’ of Gaza ceasefire

"Following the identification, tanks arrived at the scene and fired at the terrorists. The terrorists fired at the soldiers in one of the tanks, and an exchange of fire ensued, including targeted aerial strikes in the area.

“This is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement."

In a subsequent statement on Wednesday morning, they added: “Following the incident yesterday, in which six armed terrorists were identified in the western Rafah area and following searches that were conducted in the area, it is now confirmed that IDF troops eliminated the six terrorists during the exchange of fire. Various weapons were located on the eliminated terrorists.

“The IDF strongly condemns any violation of the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate against any attempt by terrorist organisations to execute terror attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel.”

Israel has accused Hamas of routinely ignoring the ceasefire since it came into force in October, while the terror group itself has accused the IDF of breaking the truce with a series of airstrikes, which the military insists were responses to Hamas violations.

The latest clashes come after it was reported that US mediators are prepared to push on with Phase Two of the deal before Hamas disarms or returns the body of Ran Gvili, the final hostage, both of which Jerusalem has insisted must be pre-conditions of any progression towards peace.

US officials reportedly told The Times of Israel that President Trump told Prime Minister Netanyahu at their Mar-a-Lago meeting earlier this month that Washington “is committed to both bringing back the final deceased hostage from Gaza and disarming Hamas”.

However, Trump reportedly also emphasised that the US “is not prepared to condition the commencement of phase two of its peace plan on either”.

The same source told the paper that negotiations between the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey have yielded a “gradual disarmament plan”, starting with the decommissioning of heavy weaponry, followed by a “buy-back” scheme for light arms.

Meanwhile, Hamas’ political wing confirmed it had ordered its agencies in Gaza to prepare to cede power to the Palestinian-led technocratic government proposed by the White House, which is expected to be created in the coming weeks.

The panel, which will be made up of Palestinian officials affiliated with neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority, will manage the day-to-day administration of the Strip, overseen by an intermediate executive council, which will itself report to the Board of Peace - a committee of world leaders chaired by Trump himself.

"Based on US President Trump’s statement of his intention to form a Board of Peace for the Gaza Strip, the Hamas movement has issued directives to all government entities and agencies to prepare to hand over all authorities to this independent Palestinian technocratic committee," said Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem

"This decision is clear and final, and there are also instructions to facilitate the success of this Palestinian [technocratic committee’s] work, in line with the higher national interest and in keeping with the plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip."

But there have long been reports of a split between the group’s political leadership, based in Qatar, and the military leadership in Gaza, with the latter said to be far less willing to compromise.

It has not yet been confirmed by the armed wing whether its leader, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, has agreed to give up governmental power in the Strip.