US Backs Israeli Strikes Despite Gaza Ceasefire; Rubio Says ‘Self-Defense Not a Violation’
In a statement that underscores Washington’s continued support for Israel, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday defended Israel’s recent drone strike in Gaza, insisting it did not breach the current ceasefire agreement.
Rubio said the operation — which targeted a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) operative in Nuseirat — fell within Israel’s “legitimate right to self-defense.”
The ceasefire, brokered earlier this month by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, aimed to halt hostilities after months of escalating violence in Gaza.
We don’t view that as a violation of the ceasefire,” Rubio told reporters. “If there’s an imminent threat to Israel, they have the right to respond — and all the mediators agree with that position.”
Israeli strike in central Gaza
On Saturday, Israeli forces launched a drone strike in the Nuseirat area of central Gaza, claiming the target was a PIJ operative preparing an “imminent attack” on IDF troops.
According to Palestinian media, the strike hit a car, killing one person and injuring others.
Nuseirat lies west of the Yellow Line — territory that, under the current ceasefire terms, is not under direct Israeli military control.
The PIJ, however, denied any plans for an assault, accusing Israel of “fabricating pretexts” to continue its military operations despite the truce.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, one of Gaza’s most active militant groups, was a participant in the ceasefire negotiations mediated in Cairo.
The faction is also believed to be holding several Israeli hostages or their remains, making it a central player in the post-war security dialogue.
Another Israeli strike near the Yellow Line
In a separate incident on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they carried out another airstrike in the Khan Younis area after detecting what they described as “Palestinian terror operatives” crossing the Yellow Line.
According to the IDF, the men were digging near a restricted zone and appeared to be setting up explosives or surveillance posts.
“They posed an immediate threat to our forces,” the military said, adding that the operatives were “neutralized on sight.”
Ceasefire under strain
The weekend strikes were the first Israeli operations inside Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on October 9, and they have sparked renewed fears that the fragile truce could unravel.
Diplomatic sources told Arab media that while Washington and Cairo remain “deeply committed” to preserving the ceasefire, there is growing unease that repeated unilateral Israeli actions — even if justified as defensive — could erode mutual trust and reignite hostilities.
For now, the ceasefire technically holds, but both US officials and regional mediators acknowledge that the situation remains volatile.
“The ceasefire is only as strong as the restraint shown by both sides,” one diplomat in Doha told reporters. “If Israel keeps striking targets in Gaza, it risks undoing two years of negotiations overnight.”
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