A joint statement released on the evening of January 31 by Hamas and several other Palestinian factions accused Israel of repeatedly violating a fragile ceasefire and carrying out fresh airstrikes across the Gaza Strip that have killed and wounded civilians.
The statement said the latest round of escalation followed the announcement of a newly formed Palestinian technocratic committee. It alleged that Israeli forces struck residential buildings, shelters and civil police stations, causing numerous deaths including women and children.
Palestinian factions supplied specific tallies for the period since the committee’s formation: 96 air and artillery strikes, 61 attacks described as directly targeting civilians, the destruction of 17 houses, 71 dead and 140 wounded. The factions argued these actions were intended to frustrate international efforts to consolidate the ceasefire and to block the entry of the truce into its second phase.
The statement accused the Israeli government of being the sole party persistently evading its ceasefire commitments and suggested the strikes were a signal that the technocratic committee would not be allowed to perform its duties.
On the Rafah crossing, the factions reiterated that the land crossing is a point of entry between Gaza and Egypt and rejected any measures that would permit Israeli interference in its operations. They urged mediators to ensure passenger safety and to guarantee Gazans’ freedom of movement.
The allegations, issued jointly by Hamas and other groups, are notable for their political weight as well as their humanitarian content: they present a united Palestinian front in condemning Israel’s conduct at a sensitive moment in the ceasefire’s implementation. For international mediators and aid agencies, the charges underscore the fragility of the truce, the continuing risk to civilians in Gaza and the political obstacles to opening the next phase of any negotiated settlement.
If verified, the intensity and alleged civilian toll of the strikes will complicate efforts by Egypt, Qatar and other intermediaries to shepherd the ceasefire into a broader, enforceable arrangement. The Rafah crossing remains a linchpin for aid and civilian movement; any dispute over its management or access could quickly translate into a humanitarian bottleneck and greater diplomatic strain on Cairo and those seeking to preserve the truce.
The coming days will test whether mediators can pressure all parties to halt actions that the factions say are designed to derail progress, and whether the technocratic committee can begin work under conditions that allow for the flow of humanitarian supplies and the protection of civilians. Absent de-escalation, the situation risks reverting to the repetitive pattern of short truces followed by renewed violence, with grave consequences for Gazans and for regional stability.