Rafah clash strains fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that took effect on October 10 is under strain after the Israeli military said militants fired an antitank missile and gunfire at troops operating in the Rafah area on Sunday, killing two soldiers and prompting a series of retaliatory strikes across the Gaza Strip, officials said. The exchanges led to a temporary halt of some humanitarian crossings into Gaza, although a U.S. official said aid access was expected to resume on Monday.

The Israeli Defense Forces said forces encountered fire while working to dismantle tunnel shafts and other military structures in Rafah and that it had begun strikes to eliminate the threat. Hamas denied knowledge of any clashes in Rafah and said it had been cut off from some groups in the area since March. Hamas added it remained fully committed to implementing the agreement, "foremost among which is the ceasefire in all areas of the Gaza Strip," according to a statement.

Gaza health authorities, which operate under the Palestinian administration in Gaza, reported that at least 97 Palestinians have been killed and about 230 wounded since the truce began. The ministry said dozens of those deaths were...