Gaza Strikes Put Fragile Ceasefire and New UN Plan Under Strain
Sultanul Arefin 
Israel’s latest airstrikes on Gaza have tested a fragile ceasefire and raised doubts over a new UN-backed plan for the territory’s future.
Israeli officials say the operation targeted Hamas fighters who opened fire on troops, while hospitals in Gaza report dozens of civilian deaths.
Gaza strikes: Israel says Hamas violated ceasefire
The Israeli military says it launched a series of airstrikes on Saturday after Hamas gunmen allegedly entered an Israeli-controlled zone and fired at soldiers inside Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said five senior Hamas members were killed in “precision strikes” on command and weapons sites.
Israel argues the action was consistent with the October 10 ceasefire, which allows it to respond if its forces come under attack.
The armed group Hamas, which many Western countries list as a terrorist organisation, denies violating the truce and accuses Israel of looking for excuses to resume a wider campaign.
Casualties in Gaza: hospitals report dozens killed
Health officials in Gaza say at least 24 people were killed and another 54 wounded in the latest strikes, including many women and children.
Airstrikes hit several areas, among them Gaza City and parts of central Gaza, sending families rushing to already overwhelmed hospitals.
Doctors told reporters that some facilities briefly ran out of beds and blood supplies as casualties arrived.
Residents described the bombardment as another sign that “there is no safe place,” even under a formal ceasefire.
Ceasefire context: October 10 truce under pressure
The strikes are the most serious flare-up since a US-brokered ceasefire paused large-scale fighting on October 10.
That truce followed months of war triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in 2023 and subsequent Israeli operations across Gaza.
Since the ceasefire took effect, more than 300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli actions, according to Gaza health authorities and international media tallies.
Israel says most operations since October have targeted militants or weapons sites, but rights groups argue that civilian risk remains unacceptably high in crowded urban areas.
UN plan for Gaza: stabilisation force and Trump-led authority
The escalation comes only days after the UN Security Council approved a US-drafted resolution on Gaza.
The plan authorises an International Stabilisation Force to provide security and backs a transitional authority overseen by US President Donald Trump, with a long-term goal of an independent Palestinian state.
Supporters say the framework could reduce violence, channel aid and gradually shift control from Hamas to a reformed Palestinian leadership.
However, Hamas has rejected the resolution as foreign “guardianship,” while Israel’s government is split, particularly over the references to Palestinian statehood.
Reactions: fragile ceasefire and uncertain next steps
People in Gaza have described the situation as a “fragile ceasefire,” arguing that continued strikes make daily life unpredictable and dangerous.
Local officials and aid agencies warn that renewed fighting would worsen an already severe humanitarian crisis, with large parts of the strip damaged and many families displaced.
Israeli officials insist that the military will keep responding to any attacks, even as diplomats try to implement the new UN plan.
As a result, the coming days will test whether the stabilisation force and transitional authority can move from paper to reality, or whether Gaza’s future will again be shaped by events on the battlefield.
Sources: ABC News (Australia), AP
Image: AP
About The Author
Suzan Seherin 