Palestinian terrorists violated the ceasefire in Gaza seven times between November 26 and December 3 and 53 times since its implementation on October 10, according to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reports.
In a major violation on December 3, at least two Palestinian terrorists emerged from tunnels in eastern Rafah, ambushing and firing at Israeli troops. During the ensuing firefight, three soldiers from the IDF’s Sayeret Golani reconnaissance unit were wounded, one seriously, while another soldier from the 143rd Gaza Division was moderately injured. According to Israeli media reports, a fifth soldier was lightly hurt.
An IDF probe of the incident found that the ambush involved two terrorists, one of whom was subsequently shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the ensuing firefight. One of the attackers managed to fire a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) at a nearby armored vehicle before fleeing. Israel carried out airstrikes and artillery fire in the area in response to the violation. Hamas-linked messaging channels warned of a possible Israeli retaliation in the hours following the ambush and told the “resistance” to exercise caution in Gaza.
Dozens of Hamas fighters are still reported to be holding out in underground tunnels in Rafah, with the IDF conducting strikes in recent weeks to eliminate some of the militants and arresting others who surrendered.
While terrorists have violated the fragile truce in Gaza dozens of times in recent weeks, there has not been a direct attack on IDF troops operating in the enclave since October 28, when Hamas members killed one reservist during a sniper and RPG attack in Rafah. In a previous incident, two IDF soldiers were killed, and three were injured in another Hamas ambush in Rafah.
Below is a list of all violations of the ceasefire by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups between November 27 and December 3 that the IDF has reported:
- On November 28, the Israeli military said that a “terrorist was identified in the area of the yellow line [that demarcates Israeli-held territory in the enclave from Hamas-held areas], approaching IDF troops deployed in southern Gaza, posing an immediate threat to them.” The Israeli Air Force (IAF) subsequently eliminated the individual.
- On November 29, the IDF said that troops had “identified two suspects who crossed the yellow line, carried out suspicious activities, and approached troops in southern Gaza, posing an immediate threat. The IAF eliminated the suspects.” However, later in the day, Palestinian media reported that two children had been killed in Israeli strikes in Bani Suheila, a Gaza neighborhood close to the yellow line. The two boys were reportedly gathering wood. It is unclear whether the strike that allegedly killed the children was the same as the strike reported by the Israeli military.
- Later on November 29, the IDF reported that troops had “identified a terrorist who crossed the yellow line and approached the troops, posing an immediate threat,” noting that Israeli soldiers had “eliminated the terrorist to remove the threat.”
- On December 1, the IDF identified and eliminated two terrorists in two separate incidents in northern Gaza. According to a military statement, “forces of the 2nd Carmeli division combat team identified two terrorists who crossed the yellow line and posed an immediate threat to them. Immediately after the identification, the forces fired and eliminated the terrorists in order to remove the threat.”
- Also on December 1, the IDF said that “forces of the Southern Brigade operating in the center of the Gaza Strip identified a terrorist who crossed the yellow line and approached the forces in a manner that posed an immediate threat to them.” Israeli troops directed air force assets in eliminating the terrorist, according to the statement.
- On December 3, the IDF said that Palestinian terrorists had ambushed Israeli troops belonging to the Sayeret Golani reconnaissance unit while operating in eastern Rafah. According to reports, the forces encountered several attackers who emerged from a tunnel in the area, and four IDF troops were injured in the firefight. Later in the day, the Israeli Air Force carried out at least one targeted strike in Khan Younis that targeted a senior Hamas operative in the group’s Rafah brigade, according to Israeli Army Radio.
These incidents come as Israel awaits the return of the remains of two slain hostages, the last remains held by Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups in Gaza. Phase one of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan in Gaza required Hamas to return all hostages, living and deceased, within 72 hours of the truce’s implementation. Nearly two months on, the terror group has yet to fulfill this obligation.
