Hamas Never Fully Complied With the Ceasefire Requirements
In the weeks since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10, a growing online chorus has blamed Israel for supposedly violating the truce. But newly confirmed details from Israeli officials, Palestinian civilians, and international reporting point clearly in one direction: Hamas never fully adhered to the ceasefire in the first place.
According to the IDF, Hamas breached the agreement immediately. An IDF spokesperson said the terror organization “has violated the agreement” and emphasized that “they have failed to return all hostages within 72 hours. That deadline passed a month ago.”
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas was obligated to return all remaining hostages — including the bodies of Ran Gvili, Dror Or, and Sutthisak Rintalak. All three remain in Hamas’ hands.
Hamas Used Humanitarian Mechanisms to Attack IDF Troops
The ceasefire was further undermined by Hamas fighters who crossed the yellow line — the boundary Israeli forces withdrew behind — and murdered three Israeli soldiers in areas designated as Israeli-controlled. The IDF confirmed that Hamas also exploited humanitarian hostage-search operations as cover to plant explosives, move equipment, and attempt to harm IDF soldiers.
Rather than demilitarize as required, Hamas turned the ceasefire into a tool for battlefield maneuvering.
Inside Gaza, Hamas Rebuilt Its Authority and Control
While the outside world assumed a cooling of tensions, Hamas used the pause to rebuild its internal rule. A Reuters investigation found the group reestablished authority by killing dozens of Palestinians it accused of “collaboration,” a tactic historically used to crush dissent.
Hamas also retook control of Gaza’s economy. Officials began monitoring shipments, imposing taxes on fuel and cigarettes, and fining merchants—the same shadow tax system that funded Hamas prior to October 7. One Gazan resident explained the motive bluntly:
“Hamas is taxing Gazans heavily to pay its fighters.”
Another source told Reuters that Hamas “see and record everything” at internal checkpoints, confirming the return of the group’s full security apparatus. Analyst Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib added that Hamas has been collecting “millions” in fees from displaced families, refugees, and local businesses — revenue that benefits Hamas’s bureaucracy, not civilians.
Regional Rivals Acknowledge Hamas Is Tightening Its Grip
Even Hamas’s political rivals have noticed the organization’s refusal to comply with the ceasefire.
“Hamas actions give a clear indication that Hamas wants to continue to govern,” said Munther al-Hayek, a Fatah spokesperson in Gaza.
His assessment reflects a growing regional concern that the ceasefire — intended to reduce Hamas’s power — instead gave the terror group room to consolidate it.
Ceasefire Conditions Cannot Hold When One Side Treats It as a Battlefield
While international critics continue to scrutinize Israel, the documented violations show a different picture: Hamas used the ceasefire to regroup militarily, restore its governing machinery, and avoid fulfilling its most basic obligations, including the return of hostages’ bodies.
Every condition designed to reduce Hamas’s operational strength has instead been exploited to strengthen it. The result is a simple conclusion: a ceasefire cannot hold when one side never intended to keep it.
This is a developing story. Updates will follow as more information becomes available.
