Israel launches air strikes on Gaza, says Hamas attacked troops

Despite an ongoing ceasefire in Gaza, Israel launched a series of air strikes on Tuesday after accusing Hamas of attacking Israeli troops, thus violating the US-brokered truce. Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas as a rescue force, reported that at least three strikes hit different parts of the territory, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 people. Among the casualties were five individuals killed when their vehicle was struck during one of the air raids. The main hospital in Gaza, Al-Shifa, also reported that one of the strikes hit its backyard, intensifying concerns over the targeting of civilian infrastructure. In response to the alleged attack on its forces, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “powerful strikes” against Gaza. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the Hamas attack on IDF soldiers as a breach of a “bright red line” and vowed a strong military response. However, Hamas denied any involvement in the shooting incident in Rafah, a southern city of Gaza. Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance, speaking from the White House and Fox News, stated that despite these skirmishes the ceasefire was still holding. He acknowledged that minor clashes could occur but expressed confidence the fragile peace deal brokered by President Donald Trump would persist. Tensions have also mounted over the issue of hostage remains, which threatened to unravel the ceasefire. Hamas had agreed to hand over the bodies of deceased hostages as part of the truce deal, but delays and disputes arose when Israel accused Hamas of not fulfilling its commitment. On Tuesday, Hamas said it would postpone the handover, blaming Israeli military escalation for hindering the search and recovery of the bodies amid the devastation. Hamas’s armed wing announced they had found the bodies of two hostages but did not specify when these would be returned. This comes after Hamas returned partial remains on Monday, which Israel claimed were not new but rather previously recovered remains, accusing Hamas of staging the discovery. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing affected families, demanded decisive action against what they viewed as Hamas violating the ceasefire agreement. In response, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem rejected accusations that Hamas knew the whereabouts of the remaining bodies, citing the destruction caused by Israeli bombardment as a barrier. Hamas has already returned all 20 living hostages as part of the truce deal. The October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel caused over 1,200 Israeli deaths, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza resulted in more than 68,500 deaths according to Gaza’s health ministry, a figure the UN regards as credible. On the ground, local residents like 60-year-old Abdul-Hayy al-Hajj Ahmed expressed fears that renewed fighting was imminent due to the mounting pressure on Hamas. Many believe accusations and delays surrounding the hostages’ remains could trigger a collapse of the ceasefire, leading to further conflict. Despite hopes for peace, the death toll continues to rise as bodies are discovered beneath rubble, highlighting the fragile and volatile nature of the situation.