Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill 104 Palestinians, including 46 children
Overnight Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have led to the deaths of 104 Palestinians, including 46 children, according to health authorities in the territory. Despite both sides accusing each other of violating the ceasefire, Israel and Hamas have declared their commitment to upholding the US-brokered truce signed on October 10.
Following a series of strikes that targeted ‘terror targets and terrorists,’ the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they began the ‘renewed enforcement of the ceasefire’ on Wednesday, as reported in posts on X. The IDF’s actions were said to be a response to alleged Hamas violations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of failing to adhere to the agreed schedule and procedure for the repatriation of bodies of deceased Israeli hostages. The Prime Minister also noted that an Israeli serviceman was killed on Tuesday when his vehicle came under fire in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Hamas denied any involvement in the attack, attributing delays in body repatriations to the destruction in Gaza caused by Israeli strikes, which they claim is hindering efforts to locate remains. The group accused the US of providing ‘political cover’ for Israel, stating that the ‘treacherous escalation’ showed an Israeli intention to undermine the ceasefire.
Hamas urged ceasefire mediators, including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, to ‘immediately pressure the occupying government to halt its massacres.’ US President Donald Trump defended Israel’s response to the soldier’s death, asserting that ‘nothing is going to jeopardize’ the agreement and warning that Hamas would face consequences if they did not ‘behave.’
The latest flare-up between Israel and Hamas follows a previous incident on October 19, during which Israeli airstrikes killed at least 44 people in Gaza. Israel launched its military campaign in the Palestinian enclave in response to a Hamas attack in October 2023, which resulted in 1,200 casualties and 250 hostages. According to Hamas-controlled health authorities, Israeli military operations have caused at least 68,000 Palestinian deaths since the conflict began.