Back to war?
Netanyahu in English: Hamas Broke the Ceasefire, Israel Will Respond
The English-language warning comes just days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Florida to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the next phase of the fragile Gaza ceasefire.The Prime Minister’s Office emphasized that Hamas must be compelled to uphold the terms it agreed to, including removal from governance in Gaza, demilitarization, and de-radicalization.
Israel warned on Wednesday that it would respond to Hamas ceasefire violations after an Israeli officer was lightly wounded by an explosive device in southern Gaza.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, an armored personnel carrier was hit by an improvised explosive device during IDF operations in the Jenina neighborhood of Rafah. The wounded officer, from the Golani Brigade, was evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. His family was notified.
In an unusual move, the Prime Minister’s Office issued its response only in English, stating that Hamas continues to violate the ceasefire and the U.S.-backed framework governing the pause in fighting.
“The Hamas terror organization continues to violate the ceasefire and President Trump’s 20-point plan,” the statement said. “Their ongoing public refusal to disarm is a flagrant violation, and today their violent intentions were again confirmed by the detonation of an IED that wounded an IDF officer.”
The statement added that Israel “will respond accordingly,” without specifying what form that response would take.
The IDF is investigating whether the explosive device was planted recently or was left over from earlier fighting. Rafah, where the incident occurred, remains under Israeli military control east of the so-called Yellow Line, established under the ceasefire arrangements.
The English-language warning comes just days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Florida to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the next phase of the fragile Gaza ceasefire.
The Prime Minister’s Office emphasized that Hamas must be compelled to uphold the terms it agreed to, including removal from governance in Gaza, demilitarization, and de-radicalization.
This marks the first injury to Israeli troops in Gaza since mid-December, when two reservists were lightly wounded in a separate IED attack. Israeli officials say Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have continued to test the ceasefire through repeated violations, including attempted movement across restricted zones.