Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered the military to carry out “forceful strikes” in the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of violating the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
The escalation comes amid renewed tension following reports that Hamas fired on Israeli forces in southern Gaza and allegedly returned remains that Israel said belonged to a hostage whose body had already been recovered earlier.
Escalation Follows Ceasefire Strain
Minutes after Netanyahu’s order, Hamas announced it would postpone the handover of another hostage’s body that was scheduled for Tuesday evening.
“We will postpone the handover that was scheduled for today due to the occupation’s violations,” the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, said in a statement. The group warned that any Israeli “escalation will hinder the search, excavation, and recovery of the bodies.”
According to the Associated Press, Israeli troops came under fire in Rafah, southern Gaza, earlier on Tuesday. The military returned fire following the attack, an Israeli official said.
Fragile Truce Under Threat
The latest flare-up threatens to unravel the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas, which has seen intermittent pauses in fighting as part of negotiations for hostage exchanges and humanitarian aid deliveries.
Netanyahu’s directive signals a hardening stance from Israel, as both sides continue to trade blame over ceasefire violations and stalled handovers of hostages’ remains.
There has been no immediate comment from mediators or international bodies involved in maintaining the ceasefire, but the latest developments have raised fears of a renewed round of hostilities in the war-battered enclave.
