Gaza: Israeli airstrikes on Gaza overnight killed at least 104 Palestinians, including 35 children, and injured around 200 others, in one of the deadliest attacks since the US-brokered ceasefire began.
The strikes, which targeted homes, tents for displaced people, and a camp for cancer patients, have raised serious concerns over the stability of the fragile truce.
The bombardment came hours after former US President Donald Trump reiterated that nothing should jeopardize the ceasefire, which was established on October 10.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes following a firefight between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants, and amid tensions over Hamas returning body parts of a hostage whose remains were recovered two years ago.The strikes led Hamas to delay the planned handover of another hostage’s remains.
Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defence, described the situation as “catastrophic and terrifying,” calling the attacks a “clear and flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement.”While Israel claimed the strikes were a response to provocations and presented footage alleging Hamas staged the discovery of bodies, Hamas denied responsibility for the initial gunfire that sparked the escalation.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) later stated that the ceasefire had been reinstated.The violence has intensified political pressure in Israel, with far-right ministers calling on Netanyahu to resume full-scale military action. Under the ceasefire, Hamas is required to return all Israeli hostages, while Israel has agreed to release 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli.
Despite the truce, Gaza’s media office reported that Israel had previously violated the ceasefire 80 times, resulting in 97 deaths and over 230 injuries. The recent escalation highlights the fragility of the ceasefire, as both sides remain at a tense standoff amid ongoing humanitarian and political challenges in the region.
