Israel Strikes Gaza After Accusing Hamas of Ceasefire Breach
Israeli warplanes carried out air strikes in Gaza City on Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire and ordered the military to launch what he called “powerful attacks.”
At least 11 people were killed and four injured when a residential building in the Sabra neighbourhood was struck, according to Gaza officials and witnesses. An area near Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest functioning medical facility, was also hit. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the strikes.
The attacks mark the latest flare-up since the US-backed ceasefire came into effect on October 10, ending two years of war that began with the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. Both sides have since accused each other of multiple violations.
A senior Israeli military official claimed that Hamas broke the truce by attacking Israeli forces in a zone under Israeli control. “This is yet another blatant violation of the ceasefire,” the official said.
Despite the renewed violence, US Vice President JD Vance maintained that the truce “is still holding,” acknowledging minor “skirmishes” in an interview with Fox News.
Earlier Tuesday, Israeli media reported clashes between Hamas fighters and Israeli troops in Rafah, southern Gaza. Hamas denied any involvement in the alleged attack and reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire deal.
Netanyahu, however, doubled down on his accusations, alleging that Hamas had mishandled the return of hostages’ remains. He claimed the group returned the body of Ofir Tzarfati, who had already been partially recovered by Israeli forces, calling it a violation of the agreement.
In response, Hamas accused Netanyahu of seeking a pretext to “evade Israel’s obligations” under the ceasefire, which included the release of all living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and a halt to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
As part of the agreement, Hamas also pledged to locate and return the remains of deceased hostages. That process has intensified in recent days, with Egyptian heavy machinery assisting in excavation efforts in Khan Younis and Nuseirat. Witnesses reported Hamas fighters supervising the digs, some of which reached tunnel shafts believed to conceal bodies.
Reuters images from Khan Younis showed men digging more than ten metres underground near the Qatari-funded Hamad Housing City.
Gaza’s health authorities report that over 68,000 people have been killed since Israel began its military campaign following the Hamas-led incursion that left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 hostages taken into Gaza.
US President Donald Trump has said he is “closely monitoring” the tense situation as hopes for maintaining the ceasefire grow increasingly uncertain.
