Tensions escalated sharply on Tuesday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to launch “immediate and powerful” strikes in Gaza following fresh hostilities with Hamas.
In a brief statement, Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the directive came after high-level security consultations in Jerusalem. “Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the military echelon to carry out immediate, powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
The renewed military action comes amid a breakdown in the fragile US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Earlier, the Israeli government accused Hamas of violating the truce by returning human remains that did not belong to any of the 13 hostages still unaccounted for in Gaza.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Hamas’s actions represent a “clear violation” of the deal. The discovery of the unidentified remains reportedly triggered urgent consultations among top Israeli defense officials.
In response, Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said it would delay the handover of a hostage’s body recovered in southern Gaza. The group accused Israel of “violating” the terms of the truce and escalating tensions on the ground.
“The delivery of the body will be postponed until Israel ceases its violations,” the Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement.
Meanwhile, an Israeli military official told CNN that Hamas militants launched fresh attacks against Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops stationed in an area under Israeli control east of the so-called yellow line—the demarcation established under the ceasefire deal.
The official confirmed that IDF troops came under direct fire, prompting immediate retaliatory action.
The renewed violence threatens to unravel the ceasefire arrangement brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt earlier this month. The truce was meant to facilitate the exchange of hostages for Palestinian detainees and to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
However, both sides have accused each other of repeated violations. Israeli officials claim Hamas continues to attack soldiers and delay the release of hostages. Hamas, on the other hand, insists that Israel has conducted unauthorized operations inside Gaza despite the ceasefire terms.
Humanitarian agencies fear that the latest escalation could end ongoing aid deliveries and worsen the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave.
As of Tuesday night, Israeli airstrikes had reportedly targeted multiple locations across Gaza City and Khan Younis. Residents described heavy explosions and widespread panic.
This is a developing story, and updates are expected as the situation evolves.
