JERUSALEM/CAIRO , 20 October (H.S.) : A fragile ceasefire in Gaza was restored on Sunday after a deadly flare-up saw two Israeli soldiers killed and a subsequent wave of Israeli airstrikes that Palestinian officials say killed 26 people . The Israeli military confirmed the resumption of the truce and an Israeli security source announced that humanitarian aid into the enclave would restart on Monday following pressure from the United States .

The violence marked the most significant test of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10, bringing a temporary halt to the 745-day war. The Israeli military said its forces were attacked with an anti-tank missile in the Rafah area, prompting retaliatory strikes on Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip, including field commanders, tunnels, and weapons depots .

According to local health authorities, the Israeli strikes killed at least 26 Palestinians, including at least one woman and a child. One of the strikes reportedly hit a former school in the Nuseirat area that was being used to shelter displaced families .

Hamas’s armed wing stated it remained committed to the ceasefire and was unaware of any clashes in Rafah, claiming it had lost contact with its groups there since March.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered a forceful response to what he called Hamas’s violation of the truce .The dispute over the return of the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages remains a major point of contention.

Israel accuses Hamas of being too slow in handing over the remains, while Hamas claims it requires special equipment to recover bodies buried under rubble. The key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a vital conduit for aid, has remained largely closed since May 2024, though aid had been increasing through another crossing until Sunday’s halt .

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar