IDF strikes Gaza for second straight day as US gives Netanyahu ‘room’ ahead of election

On Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched strikes in the Gaza Strip for the second consecutive day, despite the United States signaling its willingness to provide political "room" for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during Israel's upcoming election. The U.S. administration's change of stance is contingent upon Israel not resuming targeted killings that could hinder the progress of the upcoming Gaza agreement phase.

Monday's attack, conducted by the Israeli Air Force in northern Gaza, aimed at "removing a threat," resulted in the death of one Palestinian, according to Palestinian reports. Unlike Sunday's incident, where troops targeted a Hamas sniper, this strike was classified as the first Israeli airstrike in over a week. Israeli troops, facing what the IDF described as an "immediate threat," did not require approval from the IDF chief of staff, with the military stating that it was an "immediate threat."

In response to the ongoing situation, Nikolay Mladenov, the director-general of the Gaza Board of Peace (GoP), announced the activation of a mechanism to monitor breaches of the agreement. Mladenov emphasized that any confirmed violations would be addressed. He also dismissed claims that the GoP reached a financial arrangement with Hamas, stating that such a proposal was never discussed or considered.

Mladenov reiterated that the GoP, established under President Donald Trump's Gaza plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803, will ensure that Hamas has no role in governing Gaza and no access to funds. All GoP contracts, he added, undergo thorough checks and approvals, with job verifications before payments, and accounts open to full auditing by donor governments.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials told Politico that the administration had initially been disappointed by Netanyahu's rejection of the 15-point plan, meant to guide the implementation of the Gaza agreement. However, officials believed that Israel's actions on the ground were largely consistent with the plan, despite Netanyahu's public rhetoric.

Israeli forces have been instructed to obtain approval from the chief of staff before carrying out strikes, and targeted killings have been halted. Troops remain positioned along the original Yellow Line.