In a major test to the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Israeli officials on Sunday said it launched a wave of attacks in Gaza and halted aid after Hamas militants allegedly fired on Israeli soldiers, killing two.

Israel's military said in a statement Oct. 19 that it had launched "a series of strikes" against Hamas in southern Gaza, several hours after it announced it had targeted militants in the Rafah area in response to an attack on Israeli soldiers.

Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the initial attacks, Reuters reported. Residents in Gaza and local health authorities said Israeli airstrikes and tank fire has killed at least 18 people in the area.

The moves in Gaza come shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of major "action" against Hamas, accusing the militant group of violating the ceasefire agreement that has been in effect for less than two weeks.

Hamas has reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire agreement following the strikes, according to Reuters, and said it was unaware of any incidents or clashes in Rafah and has not been in contact with groups there since March.

The airstrikes are the first significant escalation in the region since the Oct. 11 ceasefire agreement which led to the freeing of the 20 Israeli hostages still alive after two years of captivity and the more than 1,700 Palestinians detained by Israel since the war began. An additional 250 Palestinian prisoners were also released as part of the first phase of the U.S.-brokered peace plan.

In the Oct. 19 statement, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister has held meetings with his defense minister and security chiefs, instructing them to take "strong action” against what they call “terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip.”

In a post on X, the Israel military said troops were fired upon in Rafah, and they responded by striking the area. The military force said the strikes were intended to “eliminate the threat and dismantle tunnel shafts and military structures used for terrorist activity,” and said the attacks against Israeli forces were “blatant violations” of the ceasefire agreement.

The Israeli military’s reports of attacks on its forces come a day after the U.S. Department of State issued a statement warning it had received “credible reports” indicating of an imminent violation of the ceasefire agreement by Hamas.

Vice President JD Vance is slated head to Israel this week to push for the implementation of the second phase of President Donald Trump's 20-point peace proposal intended to end the 2-year-old Israel-Hamas war.

While the agreement led to the release of the 20 Israeli hostages, tension soon followed as it became clear the bodies of 28 deceased hostages would not be immediately released. Hamas has blamed Israel and its destruction of large swaths of Gaza for the delay in returning the bodies, and Israel has threatened access of humanitarian aid in response.

Twelve of the 28 hostage bodies have been handed over to Israel as of the afternoon of Oct. 18.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY.

Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel launches strikes in Gaza after accusing Hamas of violating ceasefire

Reporting by Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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