Blast in Gaza wounds soldier, Israel accuses Hamas

An explosive device detonated in Gaza on Wednesday, injuring one Israeli soldier and prompting Israel to accuse Hamas of violating the US-backed ceasefire. It was the latest incident to threaten the tenuous truce that has held since October 10 as each side accuses the other of violations. The blast came as Hamas met with Turkish officials in Ankara to discuss the second stage of the ceasefire. Though the agreement has mostly held, its progress has slowed. All but one of the 251 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack, that sparked the war have been released. The ceasefire’s second phase has even bigger challenges: the deployment of an international stabilization force, the disarmament of Hamas and further Israeli troop withdrawals from the territory.