Overnight, a series of Israeli strikes tragically claimed the lives of at least 100 individuals across Gaza, according to local health authorities. This incident marks what appears to be the single deadliest day since the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas was put in place three weeks prior.
The military offensive commenced late Tuesday, following accusations from the Israeli government that Hamas had breached the truce. These alleged violations included failing to repatriate the remains of deceased hostages and launching an assault on Israeli forces in Rafah, located in southern Gaza. The Israeli military confirmed that Master Sgt. Yona Efraim was killed during the Rafah engagement.
By Wednesday morning, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the overnight strikes had neutralized ‘dozens of Hamas commanders.’ The military subsequently declared a resumption of the cease-fire at 10 a.m. local time.
Gaza’s health officials reiterated that the Israeli strikes resulted in a casualty count of at least 100 people within the besieged enclave.
Munir al-Bursh, Director-General of Gaza’s health ministry, reported that among the fatalities were 35 children. He emphasized that the ministry’s figures do not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Al-Bursh also highlighted the dire situation in Gaza’s hospitals, which continue to grapple with severe resource scarcity and critical medicine shortages.
Echoing these concerns, Gaza’s Civil Defense emergency rescue service independently confirmed a death toll of at least 100 individuals.
These intensified strikes followed a week of heightened tensions, primarily fueled by ongoing delays in the exchange of deceased captives between Israel and Hamas—a crucial component of the precarious cease-fire agreement established earlier this month.
The boiling point was reached on Tuesday with an attack by gunmen in southern Gaza targeting a contingent of Israeli soldiers. Military sources stated that militants engaged Israeli troops who were actively dismantling a Hamas tunnel in an Israeli-controlled zone of eastern Gaza.
Furthermore, on Tuesday, the Israeli military released drone footage, alleging it depicted Hamas attempting to ‘create a false impression’ regarding their efforts to locate the remains of deceased hostages.
Hamas, however, has denied any involvement in the Rafah attack, maintaining that it is genuinely striving to locate and return the remains of individuals taken captive from Israel during the October 7, 2023, attack that initiated the conflict.
The Israeli military’s drone footage appeared to show Hamas members simulating the discovery of a deceased hostage while Red Cross observers were present. The Red Cross later issued a statement, clarifying that its personnel were not aware that a body had been relocated prior to their arrival, stating, ‘It is unacceptable that a fake recovery was staged.’
When questioned about the video on Tuesday, Hamas directed The Times to a previous statement accusing Israel of manufacturing false justifications for military operations.