Frontier Correspondent
Jerusalem/Gaza City.
Israeli warplanes bombed Gaza City and other areas of the Gaza Strip late Tuesday, killing at least 20 people and injuring dozens, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The escalation comes less than three weeks after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “immediate and powerful strikes” after accusing Hamas of violating the truce. His office said the attacks were “a direct response to clear breaches” by the militant group that governs Gaza.
The Israeli military said Hamas staged the discovery of remains of Ofir Tzarfati, an Israeli killed in the 2023 Hamas assault, to manipulate hostage-return terms. It also accused Hamas fighters of firing on Israeli troops in Rafah, sparking a brief exchange of gunfire. No Israeli casualties were reported.
Hamas denied both claims, saying it remains committed to the truce. The group’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said it postponed the planned handover of another hostage’s body following Israel’s “criminal bombardment.” Spokesperson Suhail al-Hindi accused Israel of fabricating excuses “to justify renewed aggression.”
The Israeli Defense Forces said the strikes targeted “Hamas infrastructure,” though Gaza officials reported hits on residential areas. Explosions lit up the night sky over Gaza City as rescuers searched rubble in Khan Younis and Nuseirat. Health officials said women and children were among the dead and wounded.
The October 10 ceasefire, hailed by President Donald Trump as a major diplomatic breakthrough, was meant to end hostilities and facilitate the return of 13 remaining deceased Israeli hostages. Disputes over the recovery process have persisted, with both sides accusing each other of violating terms.
U.S. officials were reportedly informed of the strikes only after they began. Vice President JD Vance downplayed the escalation, saying, “The ceasefire is holding, though small skirmishes will happen.” Washington urged restraint and said it does not view the incidents as “material breaches” of the truce.
Residents in Gaza rushed to markets to stock up on essentials, while families in southern Gaza fled homes near strike sites. Aid deliveries, already limited, may face new suspensions if fighting continues.
Since the war began in October 2023, Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 68,500 Palestinians have been killed and 170,000 wounded, while 1,200 Israelis died in the initial Hamas attacks.