JERUSALEM (Diya TV) — The Israeli military conducted airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, raising new doubts about a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The attacks followed orders from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who instructed the military to deliver what he called “powerful strikes” in response to alleged Hamas aggression.
This renewed violence came just weeks after both sides agreed to stop hostilities in a deal that had brought cautious hope for peace. Local health officials in Gaza reported that at least nine people, including two children, died and two others were injured in the latest bombardment.
According to Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal, Israeli aircraft struck Gaza City, Khan Younis, and other areas across the enclave. Al Jazeera also reported strikes in east Deir al-Balah and central Gaza late Tuesday.
Netanyahu’s office stated that the military action followed a meeting of security officials earlier that day. “Following security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the military echelon to carry out powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip immediately,” his office said in a statement.
An official from the Israel Defense Forces told NBC News that the airstrikes were a response to an alleged attack by Hamas fighters on Israeli troops stationed in Rafah. However, NBC News noted that it had not independently verified that claim.
Hamas quickly denied involvement in the Rafah incident. In a statement, the group called Israel’s response “a flagrant violation” of the ceasefire and urged international mediators to intervene to prevent further escalation.
Vice President JD Vance downplayed concerns that the renewed violence would disrupt the peace agreement. “The president achieved a historic peace in the Middle East. The ceasefire is holding,” he told reporters. “We know Hamas or someone else attacked an IDF soldier. We expect Israel to respond, but I believe the peace will hold.”
An Israeli official said Netanyahu had spoken with Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, who played a major role in brokering the truce. The official told NBC News that Israel did not see Tuesday’s strikes as a violation of the agreement. The White House did not comment on the recent developments.
The airstrikes also coincided with tensions over the return of Israeli hostage remains. Netanyahu stated Tuesday that a body recently handed over by Hamas contained remains of another hostage that had been recovered nearly two years ago. Under the October 10 truce, Hamas must return all Israeli hostages and remain as quickly as possible.
Earlier, Hamas’ armed wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, claimed that it had located the body of a hostage in southern Gaza but delayed its transfer to Israel due to what it described as Israeli violations. The group later warned on the Telegram messaging app that any new Israeli attacks could disrupt recovery operations.
Before Netanyahu’s announcement, Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi told Al Jazeera that Israel had blocked heavy machinery and rescue teams from entering areas needed for recovery efforts. He insisted that Hamas remained committed to the ceasefire and accused Israel of misrepresenting the facts.
The ceasefire deal, signed earlier this month, had sparked optimism after months of devastating conflict. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Since then, Israeli operations have killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and left large parts of the enclave in ruins.
Israel claims its continued strikes aim to destroy Hamas infrastructure and eliminate remaining militant threats. Hamas, on the other hand, has tried to reassert control in areas vacated by Israeli troops. The group has deployed armed police, clashed with rival factions, and reportedly executed individuals to maintain its authority.
The fate of the hostages has become a central obstacle to lasting peace. On Tuesday, Hamas confirmed it had recovered the body of an Israeli hostage but postponed the transfer, citing Israeli airstrikes. Israeli officials said the remains belonged to Ofir Tzarfati, who was abducted from the Nova music festival during the October 7 attack. His body was initially recovered in November 2023.
Since the ceasefire began, Hamas has returned the bodies of 15 Israeli hostages in exchange for 195 Palestinian bodies. Israel also released about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement.
Efforts to implement the next stages of the truce, including discussions on Hamas disarmament, the deployment of peacekeepers, and Gaza’s future governance, now face renewed uncertainty.
Tuesday’s airstrikes marked one of the most serious flare-ups since the ceasefire took effect, highlighting how fragile the peace remains in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
