JERUSALEM/GAZA — A fragile, US-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza conflict has been severely tested after a wave of intensive Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday night resulted in the deaths of at least 104 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. The strikes were launched in response to what Israel described as “violations” of the ceasefire agreement.
The Attack and Response
The escalation began after an incident in Gaza that, according to Israel’s Defence Minister, led to the death of an Israeli soldier. The Defence Minister, Israel Katz, fiercely accused Hamas of crossing “a bright red line” by both attacking Israeli soldiers and failing to adhere to the terms regarding the return of deceased hostages’ bodies. Katz warned that “Hamas will pay many times over” for these breaches.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) stated on Wednesday morning that it carried out strikes on “dozens of terror targets and terrorists,” including at least 30 commanders of armed groups, to enforce the ceasefire. A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed he had ordered “forceful strikes.”
Hamas, however, denied any connection to the attack on the Israeli soldier and maintained its commitment to the ceasefire deal.
Civilian Casualties and Damage
The Israeli strikes hit various civilian areas across the Gaza Strip, causing mass casualties. Gaza’s health ministry reported a total of 104 fatalities, including 46 children and 20 women, with over 250 others injured.
- Gaza City and Beit Lahia: Strikes hit homes, schools, and residential blocks in the north.
- Central Gaza: The Bureij and Nuseirat areas were targeted. In the urban Bureij refugee camp, five members of the Abu Sharar family were killed in a strike on their home in the Block 7 area.
- Khan Younis: A vehicle on a road northwest of Khan Younis was struck, killing five people.
Witnesses in Gaza City described a terrifying scene, seeing “pillars of fire and smoke” rising as explosions shook residential neighborhoods. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported pulling three women and one man from the rubble of the al-Banna family’s home in the southern Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City.
US Position
US President Donald Trump affirmed that “nothing” would jeopardize the overall ceasefire. However, he simultaneously backed the Israeli response, stating that Israel should “hit back” when its soldiers are targeted. The IDF reiterated its commitment to upholding the ceasefire while promising a firm response to any violation.
