Two IDF Soldiers Killed in Rafah Attack, Ceasefire Teeters

Two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers were killed and three others wounded in a Hamas attack near Salah a-Din Road in Rafah on Sunday morning, marking a significant breach of the fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The fallen soldiers were identified as Maj. Yaniv Kula, 26, and Staff Sgt. Itay Yavetz, 21, both serving in the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion.

The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. in southeastern Rafah, an area under IDF control as part of the recently brokered ceasefire deal. According to an initial IDF probe, terror operatives emerged from a tunnel and fired rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) at an IDF excavator, killing the two soldiers. Concurrently, another excavator was hit by sniper fire, wounding additional troops.

Israel swiftly condemned the attack as a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement," while Hamas countered that the incident took place in an Israeli-controlled zone where they claimed to have no active operatives. The troops were reportedly clearing Hamas infrastructure in the area, operating under the assumption that militants might still be present in the group's extensive tunnel network.

In response to the assault, the Israeli Air Force and ground troops launched immediate retaliatory strikes across Gaza, targeting dozens of Hamas terror targets, including tunnel shafts and weapon depots. The IDF also temporarily halted the entry of aid into the Strip as a precautionary measure, though aid was expected to resume the following day. Despite the escalation, both sides later affirmed their commitment to the ceasefire, with the IDF announcing a "renewed enforcement" of the agreement.

The attack comes less than a week after the US-brokered ceasefire took effect, aiming to end two years of conflict. The deal included provisions for the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and Hamas had recently announced finding the body of another hostage, complicating ongoing negotiations. The incident has underscored the precarious nature of the peace efforts in the region.