These one-sided accusations ignore the context of repeated Hamas violations that have necessitated Israeli responses. Ceasefire compliance must be assessed in light of the conduct of both parties, not by isolating Israeli responses from the Hamas violations that triggered them.

From the outset, Hamas failed to comply with the agreement’s terms, which required the transfer of all hostages, living and dead, within 72 hours.^[1] Instead, it delayed the return of deceased hostages for weeks and obstructed efforts to recover additional remains. Dror Or’s body was returned on November 5, 2025;^[2] Sudthisak Rinthalak’s, on December 3, 2025;^[3] and Ran Gvili’s body was only recovered by Israeli forces on January 26, 2026.^[4] In an egregious breach of the agreement, Hamas provided no meaningful assistance in locating Gvili’s remains, forcing IDF forces to carry out the recovery under hostile conditions.^[5]

Hamas also repeatedly violated the ceasefire on the ground. Israeli authorities report that Palestinian terrorists breached the ceasefire dozens of times in the first month alone, including by firing on Israeli forces and launching attacks from tunnels.^[6] In one incident, Israel responded to an armed terrorist crossing the demarcation line with targeted strikes that killed five senior Hamas operatives.^[7] In another, Hamas terrorists killed an IDF reservist and attacked soldiers with RPGs—clear violations of the agreement.^[8]

These violations were acknowledged even by mediators. Qatar’s prime minister described one such Hamas attack as “very disappointing and frustrating.”^[9]

In light of these breaches, Israel’s responses to these attacks are consistent with the agreed enforcement framework of the ceasefire. The United States has affirmed that ceasefire violations would be met with immediate responses.^[10]

Moreover, the agreement requires the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza, yet Hamas has categorically rejected these terms, blocking progress to the second phase.^[11] Just nine days after the agreement took effect, senior Hamas official Mohammed Nazzal told Reuters that the group intended to maintain control over Gaza and would not commit to disarmament.^[12] As of mid-April 2026, Hamas had blocked progress by conditioning further steps on demands that were never part of Phase 1 of the agreement.^[13]

Hamas’s pattern of violating ceasefires is well established. Following Operation Cast Lead, it breached the ceasefire within a day by firing on Israeli forces.^[14] During Operation Protective Edge, it repeatedly violated ceasefires, including by killing and abducting the body of Hadar Goldin hours into a 72-hour humanitarian truce on August 1, 2014.^[15] Hamas held Goldin’s body for over 11 years, returning it only in November 2025.^[16] Similarly, Hamas violated the November 2023 ceasefire within minutes of its implementation and repeatedly thereafter,^[17] and has consistently used ceasefires to regroup and rearm.^[18]

Accordingly, Israel’s actions are legitimate responses to Hamas breaches—not violations of the ceasefire.