Overnight Israeli strikes resulted in the deaths of at least 100 people across Gaza, according to local health officials. This grim toll marks what appears to be the deadliest single day since Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire deal three weeks prior.
The intensive bombardment commenced late Tuesday after the Israeli government accused Hamas of breaching the truce. Allegations included Hamas failing to return the remains of deceased captives and engaging Israeli forces in Rafah, southern Gaza. The Israeli military confirmed that one of its soldiers, Master Sgt. Yona Efraim, was killed in the Rafah incident.
On Wednesday, Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, stated that “dozens of Hamas commanders” were eliminated in the overnight strikes. The military subsequently declared that the cease-fire had resumed at 10 a.m. local time.
Gaza’s health officials reported that the Israeli operations caused at least 100 fatalities and approximately 250 injuries within the enclave. Munir al-Bursh, the director general of Gaza’s health ministry, noted that 35 children were among those killed. His data does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. He further highlighted that hospitals in Gaza continue to grapple with severe resource and medicine shortages.
The Civil Defense emergency rescue service in Gaza independently corroborated that at least 100 people had lost their lives.
A poignant scene unfolded at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, where a New York Times reporter observed women mourning over the bodies of children. Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, an official at the hospital, confirmed they had received the bodies of 21 individuals killed in the strikes, including 13 children.
An image accompanies this report, showing Dr. Dania Al-Deeb in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Wednesday, holding the body of her 4-year-old daughter. She stated their home had been bombed.
President Trump expressed his support for Israel’s actions in Gaza on Wednesday, asserting that Israel “should hit back” when its soldiers are killed. However, he maintained that “nothing is going to jeopardize” the cease-fire, which is founded on a peace proposal he introduced last month.
“Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave,” President Trump conveyed to reporters aboard Air Force One during a visit to South Korea. He added a stern warning: “If they’re not good, they’re going to be terminated.”
These recent strikes followed a week of heightened tensions stemming from delays in the exchange of deceased captives between Israel and Hamas, a crucial component of the fragile cease-fire agreement implemented earlier this month.
Tensions reached a boiling point on Tuesday when armed individuals in Rafah, southern Gaza, attacked a group of soldiers. The military indicated that militants opened fire on Israeli troops who were dismantling a Hamas tunnel in an area under Israeli military control in eastern Gaza.
Additionally, on Tuesday, the Israeli military released drone footage that it claimed depicted Hamas attempting “to create a false impression” regarding their efforts to locate deceased captives. This footage showed what the military identified as Hamas members feigning the discovery of a deceased captive while Red Cross observers were present. The aid group clarified that its staff was unaware a body had been moved before their arrival, stating, “It is unacceptable that a fake recovery was staged.”
Hamas, for its part, denied any involvement in the Rafah attack. The group has consistently affirmed its commitment to locating and returning the remains of individuals taken from Israel during the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the ongoing conflict.
When questioned about the drone video, Hamas referred The Times to a previous statement accusing Israel of manufacturing false pretexts for military operations.
Following the Israeli government’s announcement of its decision to strike Gaza, David Mencer, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, cited both the shooting incident and the events portrayed in the video as clear violations of the cease-fire agreement.
Another image illustrates the devastation, featuring a man inspecting his destroyed home in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Wednesday after a military strike.
Reporting for this article was contributed by Gabby Sobelman, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Abu Bakr Bashir, and Iyad Abuheweila.