Israeli strikes kill 50 in Gaza amid ceasefire tensions

Israeli strikes kill 50 in Gaza amid ceasefire tensions

At least 50 Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured in a wave of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Tuesday night, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency and local hospitals. The strikes targeted residential areas in Gaza City, Beit Lahia, Bureij, Nuseirat, and Khan Younis.

Israel said the strikes were in response to violations of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement by Hamas, including an attack in Rafah that killed an Israeli soldier and the alleged mishandling of deceased hostages’ remains.

Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Hamas of crossing a “bright red line” and vowed that the group would “pay many times over” for the attack and for breaching the ceasefire terms. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “forceful strikes” but did not elaborate.

The Israeli military confirmed the death of Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum, who was killed when his engineering team came under fire while dismantling a tunnel route in Rafah. Hamas denied involvement in the attack and reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire.

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The Civil Defence agency reported that 22 children were among the dead and warned that the toll could rise as rescue teams continued to search through rubble under difficult conditions.

The strikes have drawn international concern, with the UN, African Union, and European Union urging restraint. The US, which brokered the ceasefire alongside Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, downplayed fears of renewed hostilities.

President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, said Israel had the right to respond to attacks but insisted the ceasefire remained intact. “Nothing is going to jeopardise” the agreement, he said.

Tensions escalated further after Hamas handed over a coffin containing remains that Israeli authorities said did not belong to any of the 13 deceased hostages still held in Gaza. Israel accused Hamas of staging a “fake recovery” and released drone footage purportedly showing operatives burying remains before summoning Red Cross officials.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) condemned the incident, saying its team was unaware of any prior burial and had acted in good faith.

Hamas rejected the allegations and accused Israel of fabricating pretexts for further aggression. The group’s military wing said it would delay the return of another hostage’s body due to Israeli “violations.”

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas was to return 48 hostages—both living and deceased—within 72 hours of the truce taking effect on October 10. So far, 20 living hostages have been released in exchange for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The bodies of 13 Israeli and two foreign hostages have also been returned.

Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said efforts to locate remaining bodies were hampered by Israeli military operations and the deaths of those who buried them. Israel maintains that Hamas knows the locations of all the deceased.

The conflict began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,200 dead and 251 taken hostage. Israel’s military response has since claimed over 68,000 lives in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Israeli strikes kill 50 in Gaza amid ceasefire tensions

BBC