In a brazen move that is already testing the fragile ceasefire agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his military to launch powerful strikes on Gaza, sparking widespread outrage and concern among international observers.
The attack, which began on Tuesday, has killed over 100 people, including at least 46 children, as per the latest figures from the Gaza Health Ministry. The violence is concentrated in Gaza City, with strikes hitting apartment complexes and the courtyard of the al-Shifa Hospital, a major medical facility in the Strip.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had visited Israel just four days ago to tour a new US military base, signaling Washington's commitment to maintaining the ceasefire agreement. However, it appears that the Trump administration is not holding Netanyahu accountable for these latest ceasefire violations.
Critics are questioning whether the US has the credibility to serve as a referee in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. "All eyes now are going to be on Washington," said Yousef Munayyer, head of the Palestine/Israel Program at Arab Center Washington DC. "Would they really be a referee that calls balls and strikes fairly? Or were they just there for decoration and were they just going to allow the Israelis to get away with murder, as they always have?"
Vice President JD Vance has signaled that the US will not hold Netanyahu accountable for these actions. Describing the attacks as "little skirmishes here and there," Vance said that "the ceasefire is holding."
The latest violence fits into a pattern that has been seen before, with Israel using ceasefires to retrieve hostages and then resuming attacks on Gaza. This tactic has become a hallmark of Israeli policy in recent years.
The international community is now left wondering whether the US will be able to enforce the ceasefire agreement or if it will continue to allow Israel to get away with its military actions. "The Israelis are now trying to create a narrative that Hamas violated the ceasefire and therefore the agreement's off," Munayyer said. "Is the international community going to buy that?"
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, concerns about the impact of these attacks on civilians and the broader humanitarian crisis in the Strip remain. With the US seemingly powerless to stop Netanyahu's aggression, it remains to be seen whether a peaceful resolution can be reached.
In fact, things have taken an even darker turn with Donald Trump's authoritarian takeover of the US government becoming increasingly apparent. Court orders are being ignored, MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of key military and law enforcement agencies, and news outlets that challenge Trump are facing censorship or investigations.
The attack, which began on Tuesday, has killed over 100 people, including at least 46 children, as per the latest figures from the Gaza Health Ministry. The violence is concentrated in Gaza City, with strikes hitting apartment complexes and the courtyard of the al-Shifa Hospital, a major medical facility in the Strip.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had visited Israel just four days ago to tour a new US military base, signaling Washington's commitment to maintaining the ceasefire agreement. However, it appears that the Trump administration is not holding Netanyahu accountable for these latest ceasefire violations.
Critics are questioning whether the US has the credibility to serve as a referee in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. "All eyes now are going to be on Washington," said Yousef Munayyer, head of the Palestine/Israel Program at Arab Center Washington DC. "Would they really be a referee that calls balls and strikes fairly? Or were they just there for decoration and were they just going to allow the Israelis to get away with murder, as they always have?"
Vice President JD Vance has signaled that the US will not hold Netanyahu accountable for these actions. Describing the attacks as "little skirmishes here and there," Vance said that "the ceasefire is holding."
The latest violence fits into a pattern that has been seen before, with Israel using ceasefires to retrieve hostages and then resuming attacks on Gaza. This tactic has become a hallmark of Israeli policy in recent years.
The international community is now left wondering whether the US will be able to enforce the ceasefire agreement or if it will continue to allow Israel to get away with its military actions. "The Israelis are now trying to create a narrative that Hamas violated the ceasefire and therefore the agreement's off," Munayyer said. "Is the international community going to buy that?"
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, concerns about the impact of these attacks on civilians and the broader humanitarian crisis in the Strip remain. With the US seemingly powerless to stop Netanyahu's aggression, it remains to be seen whether a peaceful resolution can be reached.
In fact, things have taken an even darker turn with Donald Trump's authoritarian takeover of the US government becoming increasingly apparent. Court orders are being ignored, MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of key military and law enforcement agencies, and news outlets that challenge Trump are facing censorship or investigations.
I was saying this weeks ago... The US is just making a mockery of itself when it comes to holding Israel accountable for its actions. Like, Marco Rubio just visited Israel 4 days ago and now his own boss is saying the attacks are just "little skirmishes"? 
That's not a ceasefire, that's a free pass for Netanyahu to do whatever he wants.
It's like, hello, someone needs to hold this dude accountable before it's too late.
Not on my watch. We need some real leadership here, stat. 
OMG this is getting so scary! 
I just can't believe what's happening in Gaza 
Netanyahu is being so reckless with people's lives 
& it's like the US is just letting him get away with it 
Marco Rubio was there just 4 days ago showing his commitment to peace but now it looks like they're not doing enough 
The fact that they're questioning Washington's credibility as a referee in this conflict is so true 
. But at the same time, it's hard to see how that would work considering how entangled all these countries are in each other's business.
. The latest attack on Gaza is already killing over 100 people, including at least 46 kids 
. We're talking over 2000+ casualties since the last ceasefire, and it's not showing any signs of slowing down 
.
. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has been conducting around 60 strikes per week on Gaza since October 2024 
.
we need to stop pretending like the us is a neutral player in all this drama 
what's next? more settlements, more evictions, more suffering for innocent civilians? 
this whole thing is super sus. Netanyahu launching attacks on Gaza just days after Rubio visited? it's like they're trying to send a message. and Rubio was over here touting US support for Israel like everything is cool 
. I mean, who loses count of how many kids have been killed? 
Netanyahu's actions are just another example of how Israel uses ceasefires as a ploy to get what it wants, then ignores the ceasefire to continue its aggression 
this is just getting out of hand what's next israel going to start bombing iran or something? the us is supposed to be some sort of middleman but it seems like they're just enabling netanyahu's aggression 
anyhoo back to gaza, it's heartbreaking to see civilians getting caught in the crossfire and the international community needs to step up its game here 
.
. They're like, "Hey, we'll stop our attacks for now, but then we'll just start again." It's so frustrating and inhumane 
.
. And what does Vice President Vance say? The ceasefire is holding? No wonder the Palestinians can't trust anyone anymore 
.
It's all just so predictable. 
I mean, where's the accountability for Netanyahu when he breaks the rules?
Give me a break.
. I mean, how can they expect us to believe in their justice system when they're actively working against it? It's time for some real change, you know? 
and whats up with the whole ceasefire thing i mean if washington is all about being neutral then how come theyre still backing netanyahu?