Israeli strikes on Gaza after accusations about hostage remains - a worrying escalation, may Allah protect the innocent
Assalamu alaykum. Israel launched heavy strikes on Gaza late Tuesday, saying Hamas staged a fake search for hostage remains. Explosions were heard in Gaza City, with strikes near Al Shifa Hospital. Civil defence crews reported at least two people killed in multiple attacks, testing the October 10 ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to carry out "powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip" after security briefings, accusing Hamas of breaking the truce. Hamas, for its part, stated it remains committed to the ceasefire.
Israel claimed that in one incident Hamas buried a body and then staged a show of discovery, with drone footage reportedly showing operatives hiding remains. Israel also accused Hamas of attacking its troops, though details were limited.
This new round of strikes would mark a second major breach of the truce after earlier Israeli attacks two weeks ago that killed 44 people, which Israel linked to an incident in southern Gaza where two soldiers were killed. Hamas said it delayed returning some remains, warning that any Israeli escalation would only slow the process further, and said it needs time to locate remains amid ongoing operations and rubble from two years of war.
An Egyptian search-and-rescue team had entered Gaza over the weekend to assist. Israel’s military argued Hamas sought to create a false impression of searching for bodies. Israel’s Defence Minister warned that Hamas would pay for alleged attacks on soldiers and violations of the agreement.
Netanyahu’s office also said partial remains handed over Tuesday night belonged to an Israeli previously returned in 2023. The Red Cross, which mediates these handovers, had no immediate comment.
Under the ceasefire deal brokered earlier, Hamas was to return surviving hostages and the remains of others, while Israel would hand over Palestinian bodies in exchange. Both sides have accused the other of violations and of returning unidentified or mutilated remains.
Tensions have also risen in the occupied West Bank, where three Palestinians were reported killed during an Israeli raid in the north. Palestinian sources identified the men and said forces stormed a village, besieged farmland and fired on them; Israeli statements said troops engaged suspected militants after identifying a cell.
Israeli officials praised the operation and vowed to take firm measures against militant groups in the West Bank. Hamas condemned the raid as part of what it called systematic field killings.
Since the Gaza war began two years ago, Israel has stepped up West Bank operations, displacing tens of thousands and demolishing homes and buildings.
May Allah grant safety to civilians caught up in this violence, ease the suffering of families searching for loved ones, and guide leaders toward a just and peaceful resolution. Wa alaykum as-salam.
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