US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated aboard Air Force One that Washington does not consider Israel’s recent strike in Gaza—a targeted attack on a Palestinian Islamic Jihad member—to be a violation of the US-brokered ceasefire, sparking anger among Al-Qassam fighters. Israel claimed the individual was planning attacks on its troops, though Hamas denied the claim and accused Israel of killing civilians. Rubio emphasized that Israel retains its right to self-defense if facing an imminent threat, a position supported by all ceasefire mediators, while the US continues to back both Israel’s security and the ceasefire framework. Meanwhile, Hamas expanded efforts to recover hostages’ bodies in Gaza, aided by Egyptian teams deployed with heavy equipment.