Scramble to shore up ceasefire as Israel hits Gaza with deadly strikes | First Thing

IDF says attack followed Hamas killing of two soldiers, but both sides say they are committed to ceasefire. Plus, No Kings protesters on their hopes for resistance movement against Trump

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Good morning.

Israel launched waves of lethal airstrikes yesterday and cut off all aid into Gaza “until further notice” after a reported attack by Hamas, in escalations that marked the most serious threat so far to the increasingly fragile ceasefire.

What is the US doing to help maintain the ceasefire? Senior US officials, possibly including the vice-president, JD Vance, are expected to arrive in Israel in the coming days for what observers said was a clear effort to hold the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to the deal signed in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, earlier this month.

What happened in the meeting with Zelenskyy? Ukraine’s president had flown to Washington hoping to capitalise on Trump’s growing frustration with Vladimir Putin after the summit in Alaska failed to produce a breakthrough in the war. But Zelenskyy left the US empty-handed, failing to secure long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles after weeks of lobbying.