At least 33 Palestinians were killed during a wave of Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday evening, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defense Agency and hospital sources.
Israel launched the strikes after accusations that Hamas had violated a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The Israeli defense minister accused Hamas of an attack in southern Gaza that killed an Israeli soldier and of failing to honor an agreement to return the bodies of the slain hostages. Hamas denied involvement in the attack, saying it remained committed to the ceasefire.
US President Donald Trump said that "nothing will jeopardize the ceasefire", but added that Israel has the right to "retaliate" when its soldiers are attacked.
According to witnesses, Israeli strikes hit homes, schools and residential buildings in Gaza City, Beit Lahia, Bureij, Nuseirat and Khan Younis. In some areas, residents reported “pillars of flame and smoke” rising into the air as explosions rocked neighborhoods.
The Civil Defense spokesman said 14 people were killed in Gaza City alone, including three women and a man from the al-Banna family in the Sabra neighborhood. In the Bureij refugee camp, five members of the Abu Sharar family were killed after a strike on their home, while in Khan Younis, five others were killed when Israeli aircraft targeted a vehicle. He warned that the death toll could rise as some people were still trapped under the rubble.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army to launch "powerful attacks" in Gaza, while the Defense Minister warned that "Hamas will pay many times over" for violating the agreement and attacking Israeli soldiers.
On Wednesday morning, the Israeli army announced that reservist soldier, Petty Officer Yona Efraim Feldbaum, had been killed during an engineering operation in Rafah, after being attacked by gunmen who emerged from underground tunnels.
In a statement, Hamas denied any connection to the incident and condemned the Israeli shelling, calling it “a clear violation of the ceasefire.” Its military wing also said it would delay the return of the body of a hostage due to “Israeli violations.”
Meanwhile, the US tried to ease tensions. From the board of Air Force One, President Trump told reporters: “They killed an Israeli soldier, so Israel retaliated, and it must retaliate. Nothing will jeopardize the ceasefire.”
Vice President JD Vance said the ceasefire is "holding," despite "minor clashes" between the sides.
