Hamas attack and Netanyahu's swift response: Gaza ceasefire on the brink of collapse
Photo: Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel (Getty Images)
Hamas militants continue to violate the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, leading to a new escalation of tensions. The truce is now in question.
For more details on what is happening in the Palestinian enclave, see the material by RBC-Ukraine below.
Hamas refuses to hand over the hostages' bodies
Today, October 28, it became known that Hamas militants are deliberately refusing to return the bodies of dead hostages to Israel and are even attempting to deceive.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hamas handed over a coffin containing partial remains of Ofir Tsarfati, a hostage whose body had already been found by Israeli forces back in early December 2023.
Photo: Searching for the bodies of dead hostages in the Gaza Strip (reuters.com)
They staged a scene for Red Cross representatives, pretending to have discovered the remains in Gaza on October 27.
"Yesterday, Hamas terrorists were filmed removing body remains from a prepared structure and re-burying them nearby, before summoning Red Cross representatives to stage a false discovery for photographers. Despite claiming difficulty locating the bodies of deceased hostages, Hamas continues to hold and manipulate the remains it refuses to release under the agreement," the IDF said in a statement.
The Israeli military emphasized that this way, the militants are trying to create the impression that they are searching for hostages' bodies while actually withholding their remains.
It's important to note that handing over the bodies of deceased hostages to Israel is one of the conditions of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which both Israeli officials and Hamas representatives agreed to.
Ceasefire violations
However, this is only one of the reasons for the renewed escalation between Israel and Hamas.
Today, October 28, Hamas militants opened fire on Israeli soldiers stationed in the southern Gaza Strip. The IDF returned fire.
Illustrative photo: Hamas violates ceasefire (Getty Images)
Palestinian media also reported that later, Israeli artillery struck the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Last week, in the same area near Rafah, two Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack.
Netanyahu's order
Following the latest actions by Hamas, Israeli officials held an emergency meeting. During the discussions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered immediate and powerful strikes on the Gaza Strip.
Illustrative photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demands a response to Hamas provocations (Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Hamas will pay a "heavy price" for attacking IDF soldiers and for violating the agreement under which the terrorist organization was supposed to return the bodies of dead hostages.
"The attack on IDF soldiers in Gaza today by the Hamas terror organization crosses a glaring red line to which the IDF will respond with great force," Katz emphasized.
The minister vowed that Hamas would be held accountable "for attacking the soldiers and for violating the agreement to return the fallen hostages."
The media has already reported that Israel has attacked Gaza. According to unconfirmed information, at least three airstrikes have been recorded in the city.
Following Netanyahu's statements, Hamas withdrew its plans to hand over the remains of another hostage to Israel.
Sources: statements from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and materials by The Times of Israel.
