Days after the announcement of a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered Israeli forces to launch “powerful strikes” in Gaza. Local health authorities have reported the strike claimed the lives of 26 people, including five in a house hit in the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
An Israeli military official, as reported by Reuters, said that Hamas had violated the ceasefire by launching attacks on Israeli forces.
“This is yet another blatant violation of the ceasefire,” the official said, and Reuters quoted.
The Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Hamas would pay a “heavy price” and “Israel will respond with great force.” Israel strikes also targeted an area near Shifa Hospital, which comprises the largest operational hospital in northern Gaza.
“Clear Violation”
Netanyahu termed the strike a “clear violation” of the ceasefire agreement, the first phase in which Hamas is required to return the remains of all the deceased hostages, as reported by AP and the Hindustan Times.
The ceasefire came into force on October 10; however, on October 19, Israel alleged that Hamas killed two of its soldiers, and in return, Israel launched a series of strikes, claiming the lives of 40 Palestinians, as reported by AP and the Hindustan Times.
“We know that Hamas or somebody else within Gaza attacked an (Israeli) soldier. We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the president’s peace is going to hold despite that,” said US Vice President JD Vance, who visited Israel last week and whom Reuters quoted.
