Blast in Gaza wounds soldier, Israel accuses Hamas of ceasefire violation

Jerusalem: An explosive device detonated in Gaza on Wednesday, 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 with Turkish officials in Ankara to discuss the second stage of the ceasefire. 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. agencies