Israel strikes Gaza after accusing Hamas of ceasefire violations

BBC:

Israel has carried out air strikes in Gaza, in response to what Israeli officials said were violations of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Hamas of attacking Israeli soldiers in Gaza on Tuesday, and breaching the terms on returning the bodies of deceased hostages.

The Palestinian armed group claimed it had “no connection” to the attack and insisted it was committed to the ceasefire deal.

At least 33 Palestinians were killed in the series of Israeli strikes, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence agency and hospital officials. The attacks hit homes, schools and residential blocks in Gaza City, Beit Lahia, al-Bureij, Nuseirat and Khan Younis.

Despite the flare-up, US Vice-President JD Vance said he believed the ceasefire was holding.

A brief statement put out by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Tuesday evening said he had ordered “forceful strikes” by the military but did not specify his reasons.

However, Katz said Hamas had crossed “a bright red line” by launching an attack on Israeli soldiers in Gaza on Tuesday.

“Hamas will pay many times over for attacking the soldiers and for violating the agreement to return the fallen hostages,” he warned.

An Israeli military official said the Hamas attack took place “east of the Yellow Line”, which demarcates Israeli-controlled territory inside Gaza under the ceasefire deal.

Israeli media reported that troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah had come under anti-tank missile and sniper fire on Tuesday afternoon, while Palestinian media reported Israeli artillery shelling in the area at the same time.

After the Israeli military carried out air strikes in Gaza on Tuesday evening, witnesses reported powerful explosions in several parts of the territory, including Gaza City in the north and Khan Younis in the south.