Netanyahu Unleashes “Immediate and Powerful” Strikes on Gaza After Hamas Sparks New IDF Clash.NH
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his military to carry out “immediate and powerful strikes” in Gaza on Tuesday after Hamas allegedly attacked IDF troops.
Israeli troops stationed in the southern city of Rafah were attacked by Hamas gunmen operating in the area early Tuesday, with gunfire and artillery shelling bombarding the area, the Times of Israel reported.
The attack from Hamas was a clear violation of the peace deal secured by President Trump earlier this month, which demanded an immediate cease-fire within Gaza, Netanyahu’s office said.
The incoming, retaliatory strikes were approved by the prime minister following a meeting on Hamas’ repeated violations, such as the terror group’s failure to release the bodies of the 13 remaining hostages in Gaza — including Israeli-Americans Itay Chen, 19, and Omer Neutra, 21.
As a result of the fallout, Hamas’s military wing announced that it would be postponing the release of a hostage’s body that was scheduled for tonight due to “violations of the ceasefire agreement by the occupation.”
Rafah has remained a volatile city amidst the cease-fire, with two Israeli soldiers killed in the area last week in an alleged attack coordinated by Hamas.
Like with the latest incident, the fighting triggered Netanyahu to order a series of extensive strikes against Hamas, stoking fears that Trump’s cease-fire deal would fall apart.
The terror group denied any involvement in last week’s attack, noting that Rafah is still under occupation by the IDF and anti-Hamas militias.
Hamas has yet to provide a statement about the latest assault on IDF troops in the city.
Along with the repeated attacks in Rafah, Netanyahu’s administration has grown frustrated over the slow release of the bodies of the hostages remaining in Gaza, which saw Hamas hand over “partial remains” on Tuesday following Trump’s 48-hour deadline.
The remains, however, belonged to slain hostage Ofir Tzarfati, a captive whose body was already recovered by the IDF two years ago, Netanyahu’s office said.
“This constitutes a clear violation of the [ peace] agreement,” the prime minister said in a statement.
Israel maintains that Hamas is able to release the majority of the dead bodies, accusing the terror group of using the hostages to negotiate better terms for the rest of the peace deal.
Hamas has reiterated that it is working to locate the bodies of the hostages buried in the rubble of Gaza, with Egyptian teams now on hand to help excavate.
Trump had warned that if Hamas continues its violence in Gaza or fails to release more hostages by Monday, the US and its allies overseeing the peace deal “will take action.”
