Israeli warplanes launched a series of strikes across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing at least seven Palestinians and injuring four others, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense . The attacks targeted a vehicle in Khan Younis, killing five people including children, and a three-story house in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood, killing two people and injuring four others, including a child and an infant . The strikes caused extensive destruction to the building and damaged nearby homes, with rescue teams continuing to search for victims under the rubble . This escalation marks a serious violation of the US-backed ceasefire that took effect on October 10 and has resulted in the deaths of 94 Palestinians since it began .
The Israeli military stated the strikes were a response to an alleged attack by Hamas fighters on Israeli troops in Rafah with anti-tank weapons and sniper fire . However, Hamas has firmly denied any involvement in this incident, reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire agreement . Beyond this immediate pretext, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the "powerful attacks" citing what he called a "clear violation" by Hamas regarding the handover of hostage remains .
In response to the Israeli strikes, Hamas announced the postponement of a planned handover of a hostage's body that was scheduled for Tuesday evening . The group stated that any Israeli escalation would "hinder ongoing search and excavation operations to retrieve bodies" . Hamas has consistently argued that the recovery process is being severely hampered by Israel itself. In an official statement, the group accused the Israeli occupation of pursuing a "systematic policy" of obstruction, explicitly refusing to allow joint teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross and Palestinian factions to enter several areas of the Strip to carry out their mission . Furthermore, Hamas stated that Israel has prevented the entry of heavy machinery and equipment essential for excavating the remains, which are often buried deep under the rubble of destroyed buildings . The group maintains that Israel's claims about deliberate delays are "baseless and meant to mislead public opinion," and are instead a fabricated pretext for launching new aggression .
The recent violence represents the most significant test of the fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. While U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged "little skirmishes," he maintained that the ceasefire is still holding . Hamas has condemned the Israeli bombardment as a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement" and has called on mediators to "act immediately to pressure the Israeli occupation to halt its escalation against civilians in the Gaza Strip and to abide by all provisions of the agreement" . The group has urged mediating parties to uphold their responsibilities in confronting these obstacles and to compel Israel to end its "deceptive practices," allowing humanitarian duties to be carried out free from political interference .