DaysofPal – Amnesty International has warned that Israeli authorities are continuing acts of genocide in Gaza despite the declared ceasefire, carrying out fresh attacks and restricting access to vital humanitarian aid.
In a statement Thursday, the rights group said Israel has violated the ceasefire more than 500 times over the past seven weeks. The truce, intended to end Israel’s devastating offensive that has killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians, has repeatedly been ignored, with attacks targeting areas beyond the yellow line where Israeli forces were meant to remain withdrawn.
“So far, there is no indication that Israel is taking serious measures to reverse the deadly impact of its crimes and no evidence that its intent has changed,” said Amnesty Secretary-General Agnès Callamard.
“Israeli authorities are continuing their ruthless policies, restricting access to vital humanitarian aid and essential services, and deliberately imposing conditions calculated to physically destroy Palestinians in Gaza. The world must not be fooled. Israel’s genocide is not over.”
Some of Thursday’s strikes targeted buildings in Bureij camp in central Gaza and eastern Khan Younis, adding to hundreds of attacks that Gaza’s civil defense describes as blatant violations of the fragile ceasefire.
The violations coincide with another wave of Israeli raids and arrests in the occupied West Bank, including Qalqilya, Tubas, Hebron, Tulkarem, and Nablus. During one raid in Tubas, at least 25 Palestinians were assaulted and required medical attention, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Prisoner Transfers Continue
Meanwhile, the first stage of the Gaza truce moved closer to completion as Israel transferred the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners to Gaza authorities, following the earlier handover of an Israeli captive by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Palestinian armed groups have now released all living captives and returned the remains of 26 of 28 captives stipulated under the exchange deal.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem highlighted the handover as proof of the group’s “steadfast commitment” to completing the exchange despite significant difficulties. Israel, for its part, has freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and returned 345 bodies, many showing signs of torture and execution.
However, the ceasefire remains fragile. Dozens of Hamas fighters remain trapped in tunnels on the Israeli-occupied side of the yellow line in southern Gaza, 20 of whom Israel says it has killed in the past week. Hamas has urged mediators to press Israel to allow safe passage for these fighters, accusing the Israeli military of violating the truce by targeting them.
Phase Two Hangs in the Balance
Discussions are ongoing about transitioning to the second phase of the ceasefire, which includes deploying an armed international stabilization force to demilitarize Gaza and establishing an international body to oversee temporary governance and reconstruction. Turkish, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators met in Cairo to discuss the next steps, but major questions remain over Israel’s commitment.
Muhammad Shehada, a visiting fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, told Al Jazeera, “Until this moment, Israel has not given up on its plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza. Either Gaza remains a permanent, unlivable refugee camp, or Hamas retaliates, giving Israel an excuse to resume the genocide.”
Amnesty’s Callamard urged continued international pressure, warning that the ceasefire must not become a “smokescreen” for ongoing crimes.
“The international community cannot afford to be complacent: states must keep up pressure on Israel to allow unfettered access to humanitarian aid, lift its unlawful blockade, and end its ongoing genocide,” she said.
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