Israel conducted military strikes in southern Gaza on Sunday, marking the first significant challenge to the recently established ceasefire, after alleging Hamas militants attacked Israeli soldiers [5][6]. The Israeli military responded with airstrikes and artillery targeting multiple locations in the region, escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held urgent consultations with security heads, directing the military to take 'strong action' against ceasefire violations while carefully avoiding language that might suggest a return to full-scale war [1][7]. Hamas denied involvement in the clashes near Rafah, maintaining that they were not connected to the reported incident [5][8].

Simultaneously, the strikes occurred as Israel identified the remains of two hostages previously released by Hamas. Netanyahu's office confirmed the bodies belonged to Ronen Engel, a father of three from Kibbutz Nir Oz, and Sonthaya Oakkharasri, a Thai agricultural worker killed at Kibbutz Be'eri. Both were believed to have been killed during the October 7, 2023 attack [1][6].

The Palestinian group indicated that talks for the second phase of ceasefire negotiations are underway, suggesting a potential diplomatic pathway amid the military tensions. The incident represents a critical test of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that aimed to halt over two years of conflict [8][9].