Israel accuses Hamas of ceasefire violation as blast in Gaza wounds soldier

Palestinian children sort through trash at a landfill in al-Bureij camp, in the central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

An explosive device has detonated in Gaza, injuring one Israeli soldier and prompting Israel to accuse Hamas of violating the US-backed ceasefire.

It was the latest incident to threaten the tenuous truce that has held since October 10 as each side accuses the other of violations.

The blast came as Hamas met Turkish officials in Ankara to discuss the second stage of the ceasefire.

Displaced Palestinian Salah al-Mabhouh, 40, sits by the fire with his son Abdul-Razzaq, eight, next to their tent in al-Bureij camp, central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

Though the agreement has mostly held, its progress has slowed.

All but one of the 251 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on October 7 2023, that sparked the war, have been released, alive or dead, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

The mother of the last hostage whose remains are still in Gaza called for their return before negotiators move to the ceasefire’s second phase.

That phase has even bigger challenges: the deployment of an international stabilisation force, a technocratic governing body for Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and further Israeli troop withdrawals from the territory.

Israel’s military said the explosive detonated beneath a military vehicle as soldiers were “dismantling” militant infrastructure in the southern city of Rafah. The lightly injured soldier was taken to hospital, the military said.

Hamas senior official Mahmoud Mrdawi said on social media that the blast was a result of unexploded ordnance and the group had informed mediators.

In a later statement, Hamas denied responsibility for what it called “war remnants” placed by Israel in an Israeli-controlled zone.

Israel’s military denied Hamas’s claim. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident a violation of the ceasefire and said Israel would “respond accordingly”.

Palestinian Christians attend Mass on Christmas Eve at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)

Israel previously launched strikes in Gaza in response to alleged ceasefire violations.

On October 19, Israel said two soldiers were killed by Hamas fire and it responded with a series of strikes that killed more than 40 Palestinians, according to local health officials.

Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire by not allowing enough aid into the territory and continuing to strike civilians. Gaza’s Health Ministry says that more than 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the truce.

The ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its count and operates under the Hamas-run government, is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan met a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Haya to discuss the ceasefire’s second phase, according to ministry officials.

Mr Fidan reaffirmed Turkey’s efforts to defend the rights of Palestinians and outlined ongoing efforts to address shelter and other humanitarian needs in Gaza, the officials said.

Palestinian children walk over a landfill after collecting wood, plastic and cans in al-Bureij camp, in the central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

The Hamas delegation said they had fulfilled the ceasefire’s conditions but that Israel’s continued attacks were blocking progress towards the next stage. They also asserted that 60% of the trucks allowed into Gaza were carrying commercial goods rather than aid.

According to the officials, the meeting also discussed reconciliation efforts between the Palestinian factions and the situation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, stressing that Israel’s actions there were “unacceptable”.

Ran Gvili’s mother said she will join Mr Netanyahu on his upcoming trip to the United States, and urged him and US President Donald Trump to not move to the ceasefire’s next phase until her son’s remains are returned — a condition of the first phase.

“I will not accept a situation where towers are being built and Gaza is being rehabilitated while my Ran is abandoned in the field,” Talik Gvili said. “I am travelling to the United States to remind everyone that Ran is not a number. He is an Israeli hero.”

The 24-year-old police officer was killed while fighting Hamas militants attacking a kibbutz on October 7 2023.