Israeli Strikes Kill 18 in Gaza, Challenging US Disarmament Efforts

Israeli airstrikes have tragically killed at least 18 Palestinians in Gaza over the past two days, with reports confirming Sunday's fatalities despite a major US announcement of a path for Hamas' disarmament. The continued violence directly challenges US President Donald Trump's recent declaration that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups had agreed to lay down their weapons, a development that had offered a flicker of hope for the war-torn region. This latest escalation comes just days after Trump's 'Board of Peace' unveiled a 15-point roadmap detailing the steps for implementing the disarmament agreement. However, Israel's Energy Minister Eli Cohen, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu security cabinet, quickly dampened expectations, stating publicly that there was 'no deal to halt attacks' and expressing deep skepticism about Hamas genuinely disarming. He even suggested Israel might need to take full control of Gaza if disarmament fails. Hamas, for its part, has accused Israel of using the strikes to undermine the new peace efforts, reiterating that its disarmament hinges on Israel ceasing attacks and withdrawing its forces. The ongoing strikes, which have targeted residential areas and vital medical supply warehouses, underscore the fragile nature of any peace efforts, even after a significant ceasefire was reached in October 2025. With the Board of Peace lead envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, expressing concern over civilian casualties and destroyed medical supplies, the path forward remains highly uncertain. The international community will be watching closely to see if the proposed disarmament and political transition can move past these deadly clashes or if the cycle of violence will continue, further worsening the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.