Key Takeaways
- Israeli air strikes killed at least 30 people in Gaza after alleged Hamas attack
- Both sides accuse each other of violating the fragile ceasefire agreement
- US officials maintain ceasefire is holding despite “little skirmishes”
- Hostage remains handover delayed amid escalating tensions
Ceasefire Collapses as Strikes Resume
Less than three weeks after a Gaza ceasefire took effect, Israel launched powerful air strikes across the territory, killing at least 30 people according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. The escalation followed accusations from both sides of violating the fragile truce.
Israel’s military said the strikes responded to what it described as a Hamas attack on its troops. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “powerful strikes” while Defence Minister Israel Katz called the alleged incident “a crossing of a bright red line.”
Hamas firmly denied the accusations, stating its fighters had “no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah.”
US Response: Ceasefire Still Intact
US President Donald Trump stated “nothing” would jeopardise the Gaza ceasefire but added Israel “should hit back” if its soldiers were killed. “They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back. And they should hit back,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Vice President JD Vance insisted the ceasefire remained intact despite the violence. “That doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be little skirmishes,” Vance said in Fox News comments. “We know that Hamas or somebody else within Gaza attacked an IDF soldier. We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the president’s peace is going to hold.”
Strikes Hit Multiple Gaza Locations
Gaza’s civil defence reported at least three air strikes on Tuesday, including one near Al-Shifa Hospital, the territory’s largest medical facility. Another strike hit a vehicle, killing five people inside.
The violence disrupted planned hostage remains transfers. Hamas had been expected to hand over another Israeli hostage’s body as part of ceasefire terms, but delayed the handover citing Israeli “escalation” as an obstacle.
Hamas’s armed wing stated it had located two hostage bodies but didn’t specify return timing. The conflict has claimed over 68,500 Palestinian lives according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Dispute Over Hostage Remains
The ceasefire agreement required Hamas to return 28 sets of hostage remains and release 20 living captives. On Monday, Hamas handed over what it claimed were remains of a 16th hostage, but Israeli forensic experts determined they belonged to a hostage repatriated two years earlier.
Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian accused Hamas of fabrication: “Hamas dug a hole, placed partial remains inside, covered it with dirt, and handed it over to the Red Cross.”
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem rejected the accusation, saying the group continues searching for remaining bodies amid destruction from Israel’s two-year offensive. “The movement is determined to hand over the bodies of the Israeli captives as soon as possible once they are located,” Qassem stated.
