Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of 26 individuals, following Israel’s accusation against Hamas for breaching a ceasefire in the Palestinian region. The recent incident tests the delicate agreement brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month.
Reports from local health authorities revealed casualties, including five individuals in a residence struck in the Bureij refugee camp, four in a building in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, and five in a car in Khan Younis, among them two children. The attacks by Israeli planes extended into early Wednesday, witnessed across the Gaza Strip, with additional strikes reported in Gaza City.
Although a statement from Netanyahu’s office did not specify the motive behind the planned attacks, an Israeli military official claimed that Hamas had violated the ceasefire by launching an attack against Israeli forces in a region under Israeli jurisdiction. The official labeled this as a clear violation of the truce.
Israeli authorities informed the United States before initiating the airstrikes, as confirmed by two U.S. officials speaking with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Israeli media previously mentioned an exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters in Rafah, but Hamas denied any involvement in the attack on Israeli forces. The Israeli military refrained from commenting on these reports.
During a flight to South Korea aboard Air Force One, U.S. President Donald Trump reassured that the U.S.-supported ceasefire was not in jeopardy. Netanyahu accused Hamas of breaching the agreement by providing incorrect remains during the body-handover process of hostages to Israel.
Hamas initially announced the handover of a missing hostage’s body found in a Gaza tunnel to Israel on Tuesday. However, Hamas’s military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, later postponed the planned transfer, citing alleged violations of the ceasefire by Israel. Both sides have accused each other of breaching the terms of the agreement.
Under the ceasefire, Hamas released all living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, while Israel withdrew its troops and ceased its offensive actions. Hamas also agreed to surrender the remains of deceased hostages yet to be recovered. However, the search for these bodies has faced challenges due to the extent of destruction in Gaza and the lack of necessary equipment for retrieval.
The issue of remains has become a key point of contention in the ceasefire, closely monitored by Trump. Netanyahu stated that the remains handed over on Monday belonged to Ofir Tzarfati, an Israeli killed during the 2023 Hamas-led attack that initiated the conflict. The Israeli military alleged that Hamas had planted Tzarfati’s remains at a dig site, creating a false impression of recovery efforts.
The search for hostage bodies intensified with the arrival of heavy machinery from Egypt, with bulldozers deployed in various locations in Gaza. Rescuers are combing through rubble in search of thousands of missing Palestinians following extensive Israeli airstrikes over the past two years.
According to Gaza health authorities, 68,000 confirmed fatalities have occurred due to Israeli strikes, with numerous individuals still unaccounted for. Israeli forces continue demolition activities in Gaza, particularly targeting Hamas tunnels, of which 60% remain intact, as stated by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz.