Two Israeli soldiers, Major Yaniv Kula, 26, and Staff Sergeant Itay Yavetz, 21, were killed and three others were wounded in a Palestinian terror operative attack in southern Gaza's Rafah this morning, the IDF announced. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. near Salah a-Din road, when operatives emerged from a tunnel and fired RPGs at an excavator, while other troops were hit by sniper fire. The IDF's initial probe indicated that the operatives made no attempt to abduct soldiers. The troops were operating in the area, under Israeli control as part of the ceasefire deal, to clear Hamas infrastructure. In response to the attack, the Israeli Air Force and ground troops conducted immediate strikes in the area, followed by a wave of airstrikes in southern Gaza, including against a tunnel system previously used by Hamas to hold hostages. Mediators have succeeded in restoring the ceasefire in Gaza as of this moment, according to Qatar's Al-Jazeera channel, citing Palestinian sources. Discussions are reportedly underway to establish a binding mechanism to address future violations of the agreement. This development follows a period of heightened tension and dissatisfaction with Hamas due to the "serious incident in Rafah" and its explanations for the violations. American envoys Witkoff and Kushner are expected to deliver a message tomorrow urging advancement to "phase two" of the Gaza plan, with concerns raised about the potential impact of repeated incidents on the willingness of soldiers and organizations to operate in the Strip. The IDF had previously announced reinforcing the Gaza ceasefire following violations by Hamas, including earlier reports of attacks. US President Donald Trump has previously expressed optimism for the Gaza peace plan, signed on October 13th, 2025, and envisioned developing Gaza with decent housing, utilizing land in Egypt and Jordan. Special envoys Witkoff and Kushner were expected in Israel to address ongoing tensions.
