Trump says Gaza ceasefire holds despite deadly Israeli strikes

US President Donald Trump insists that the ceasefire between the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and Israel is holding, even as the regime continues its deadly strikes.

Trump said on Sunday that the ceasefire in Gaza remains in place despite repeated Israeli attacks that have killed dozens in the territory, stressing that Washington seeks to maintain calm between the Israeli regime and Hamas.

“We are going to have to see what is happening. We want to make sure that it is going to be very peaceful with Hamas,” Trump told reporters when asked about Israel’s latest assaults.

Shortly before Trump's comments, US vice president, JD Vance, downplayed the renewed Israeli aggression in Gaza, telling reporters there would be "fits and starts" in the agreement.

"So we think that it has the best chance for a sustainable peace. But even if it does that, it is going to have hills and valleys, and we are going to have to monitor the situation," he stated.

US knew Israeli bulldozer, not Hamas, caused deadly Rafah blast: Reports

Reports have revealed that the US knew the Rafah blast that killed two Israeli soldiers was triggered by an Israeli bulldozer hitting unexploded ordnance (UXO), not by Hamas.

Israeli forces launched a new wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing at least 15 civilians, including a journalist, after an explosion killed two Israeli soldiers near Rafah.

It was later revealed that the explosion occurred when an Israeli bulldozer struck an unexploded ordnance (UXO) belonging to the regime itself.

Despite being aware of this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exploited the incident to attack Gaza, flagrantly violating the ceasefire.

The regime reportedly only halted its aggression after being confronted by the White House with the truth.

Refugees sheltering south of the nearby European Hospital described the latest strikes as accompanied by artillery shelling, with explosions shaking parts of Rafah. They also reported at least 12 airstrikes in eastern Khan Yunis, describing the area as a “fire belt.”

The assaults sent thick plumes of smoke over the cities and triggered widespread panic among displaced families.

The incident exposes the Israeli regime’s persistent attempts to mislead the public while inflaming tensions in Gaza, deepening an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

Analysts say Israel appears intent on provoking further conflict despite the ceasefire signed in Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this month.

On Monday, the Gaza government reported that at least 97 Palestinians have been killed and 230 injured by Israeli forces since the ceasefire took effect on October 10.

In a statement, the Gaza Government Media Office said the “Israeli occupation committed 80 documented violations since the declaration of the ceasefire, in flagrant breach of international humanitarian law.”

Since Israel launched its genocidal assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023, at least 68,000 Palestinians have been killed and 170,000 wounded, most of them women and children.

Experts warn the true death toll could reach hundreds of thousands once the missing and those buried under rubble are fully counted.

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