Israeli planes bombed the Gaza Strip this Tuesday (28), after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of breaking the ceasefire in force since the beginning of October. The Israeli leader ordered “powerful” attacks against Palestinian territory, alleging new violations by the group.
The bombings hit areas close to the Shifa hospital, the largest still operating in northern Gaza. Witnesses reported loud explosions, and the press linked to Hamas confirmed the offensives. So far, there is no information about victims.
The Israeli Army has not yet commented on the operation. However, a military source informed Reuters that Hamas attacked Israeli troops in a region under Israeli control. “This is yet another blatant violation of the ceasefire,” the official said.
The agreement, backed by the United States, came into force on October 10 and halted two years of intense fighting. Since then, both sides have accused each other of breaching the terms of the truce. Even so, the ceasefire had been maintained with relative stability until this week.
On Saturday (25), Israel had already reported a “targeted” attack against a militant who, according to the government, was planning offensives against Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
Netanyahu accuses Hamas and cites irregular return of bodies
Earlier, Netanyahu again accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire. He stated that the Palestinian group inappropriately handed over the remains of Israeli hostages, violating the agreement reached between the parties.
According to the prime minister, the remains belong to Ofir Tzarfati, killed during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Part of the body had previously been recovered by Israeli troops.
In response, Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that it would postpone the handover of the body of another hostage found in a tunnel. According to the group, the decision was taken because of new violations committed by Israel.
The return of the bodies of dead hostages became one of the main impasses in the agreement. Hamas says it is still seeking to locate the remains under the rubble of the bombings. Israel maintains that the group has direct access to most of the bodies.
In recent days, the search has intensified with the support of Egyptian teams. Heavy machinery began operating in Khan Younis in southern Gaza and in Nuseirat further north. Hamas fighters provide security for the excavation areas.
Images released by Reuters show deep excavations near Hamad Housing City, a housing complex financed by Qatar. There, militiamen descend into the trenches and investigate underground tunnels in search of bodies.
Exchanges of gunfire and mutual accusations
The Israeli press reported exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza. The Israeli Army has not confirmed the episode. Hamas, on the other hand, denies any breach of the ceasefire and accuses Netanyahu of looking for pretexts to breach obligations under the agreement.
Under the terms of the truce, Hamas released all hostages alive in exchange for the release of about 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. In return, the Israeli government withdrew part of its troops and suspended ground operations.
Conflict
According to health authorities in Gaza, more than 68,000 people have died since the start of the war, and thousands remain missing. The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters invaded southern Israel, killed 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages.
Laura Basílio under supervision.
