Israel carried out several attacks in Gaza on Sunday after saying its troops were attacked by militants in a “flagrant” violation of the ceasefire, the first major test of the US-brokered truce.
An Israeli military official said Hamas attacked Israeli forces in Rafah with rocket-propelled grenades and sniper fire, prompting Israel to carry out attacks in the area.
Hamas fired on Israeli forces beyond the Yellow Line – the line behind which Israeli troops have withdrawn under the ceasefire agreement – in three separate incidents on Sunday, according to another military official.
A source familiar with the incident in Rafah said Israeli forces had suffered casualties. The incident occurred behind the Yellow Line.
Hospitals and witnesses reported that at least eight people were killed in Israeli strikes in various parts of Gaza.
Both sides have accused each other of violating the truce since it began nine days ago, ending months of fighting and allowing the release of Israeli hostages as well as Palestinian prisoners and detainees. But Sunday’s incidents are the most serious yet.
Hamas said in a statement Sunday that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement. Its military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades (AQB), denied knowledge of “any event or confrontation” in Rafah and said they are committed to the truce “in all areas of the Gaza Strip.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security consultation on Sunday with Defense Minister Israel Katz and military chiefs, instructing them to “act forcefully” against “terrorist targets” in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had carried out airstrikes and artillery fire in Rafah, destroying Hamas infrastructure.
“Hamas will pay a heavy price for every shooting and ceasefire violation, and if the message is not understood, the intensity of our responses will continue to increase,” Katz said in a statement.
Netanyahu faces pressure to respond to any violations by far-right parties supporting his coalition, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has called on him to resume the war in Gaza “in full force.”
Amid the new attacks, the AQB said it found the body of another Israeli hostage during ongoing search operations, “and will hand him over today if camp conditions permit.”
The AQB warned that any escalation by the Israeli army would “hinder the search, excavation and recovery of bodies.”
Hamas clashes with its rivals
While much is unknown about the incident in Rafah, it occurred on Sunday morning when Hamas said its internal security force Rada’a was targeting a “hideout” of an Israeli-backed militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab. In June, Israel confirmed that it was arming several such militias in an attempt to counter Hamas.
Muhammad Shehada, a Gaza expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said these militias now operate from Israeli-occupied areas in Gaza from where they “descend into the other half of Gaza, carry out attacks and then run back to those protected areas.”
Since the ceasefire began last week, Hamas has carried out what it calls a “security campaign” targeting “collaborators, mercenaries, thieves, bandits and those who cooperate with the Zionist enemy throughout the Gaza Strip.”
The internal fighting has created a volatile security situation in the battered enclave, with violence breaking out between Hamas and rival groups in several areas of Gaza, including one incident that culminated in an apparent public execution of eight people in a Gaza City square as large crowds watched.
Sunday’s incident added further tension to the ceasefire, and the next steps have not yet been resolved.
Israel has shot and killed Palestinians it accused of approaching the Yellow Line, in what Hamas has called a “flagrant violation” of ceasefire commitments. Israel also accused Hamas of delaying the return of all deceased hostages held in Gaza as required by the deal, and closed a key border crossing until further notice.
Hamas has returned 12 of the 28 deceased hostage bodies, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement with Israel, which came into effect last week. The 12 have already been formally identified.
This story has been updated with additional information and context.
For more CNN news and newsletters, create an account at CNN.com