Israeli airstrikes targeted Gaza on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 individuals. Israel accused Hamas of breaching a ceasefire in the Palestinian region, a pact brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. Among the casualties were five people in a residence hit in the Bureij refugee camp, four in a building in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, and five in a vehicle in Khan Younis, including two children, as confirmed by Ahmed al-Farra, head of pediatrics at Nasser hospital where the bodies were taken.
The airstrikes by Israeli planes extended into early Wednesday, with witnesses reporting attacks in Gaza City. Israeli officials claimed that Hamas violated the ceasefire by launching an assault against Israeli forces in an area under Israeli jurisdiction. Netanyahu’s office did not specify the motive behind the planned attacks, labeling it as a breach of the ceasefire.
Before initiating the strikes, Israel informed the United States, according to anonymous U.S. officials. While Israeli media mentioned an exchange of fire in Rafah between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters, Hamas denied responsibility for the attack on Israeli forces. Donald Trump, en route to South Korea, reassured that the U.S.-backed ceasefire was secure.
Hamas initially promised to hand over the body of a missing hostage found in a Gaza tunnel to Israel, but later postponed the handover citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire terms. Both sides have accused each other of breaching the agreement. Under the ceasefire terms, Hamas released all living hostages in exchange for Palestinian convicts, and Israel withdrew its troops and ceased its offensive actions.
The process of recovering the remains of deceased hostages has become a contentious issue within the ceasefire. Netanyahu alleged that Hamas planted human remains to deceive and delay the handover process. Efforts to locate and retrieve remaining bodies have been hindered by the destruction in Gaza, according to Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem.
Israeli ministers called for decisive action against Hamas, pending approval from Washington, the mediator of the fragile ceasefire. Search efforts for hostage bodies intensified with the assistance of heavy machinery from Egypt, focusing on various areas in Gaza where bodies are believed to be located. The ongoing conflict has resulted in thousands of casualties and missing individuals in Gaza, with Israel continuing demolitions in areas under its control.
