Israeli Airstrikes Hit Gaza After Hamas Accused of Ceasefire Violation

Israeli fighter jets launched fresh airstrikes across Gaza on Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of breaking a fragile ceasefire brokered earlier this month by U.S. President Donald Trump. The attacks, which continued into early Wednesday, left at least 26 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Victims included civilians killed in Bureij refugee camp, Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, and Khan Younis.

Israel’s military has not yet commented on the strikes, but an official claimed Hamas violated the ceasefire by attacking Israeli forces in an area under Israeli control. “This is yet another blatant violation of the ceasefire,” the official said. Netanyahu said he ordered “powerful attacks” following the alleged breach.

The U.S.-brokered ceasefire, which began on October 10, ended two years of conflict sparked by Hamas’ deadly assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. Despite ongoing violence, U.S. Vice President JD Vance maintained that the ceasefire “is holding,” noting that occasional skirmishes were expected.

Tensions escalated further after Netanyahu accused Hamas of returning the wrong remains of an Israeli hostage, Ofir Tzarfati, whose body had already been partially recovered. Hamas denied violating the agreement, saying it remained committed to the ceasefire and blamed Israel for recent clashes. Later, Hamas’ armed wing claimed it had recovered the bodies of two additional Israeli hostages, accusing Netanyahu of seeking excuses to abandon the truce.

Under the deal, Hamas agreed to release all living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, while Israel halted its offensive. However, disputes over the recovery of hostage bodies have strained the agreement. As Gaza health authorities report over 68,000 killed and thousands missing, both sides accuse each other of undermining a ceasefire Trump hails as a key diplomatic success.