Israel Announces ‘Renewed Enforcement’ Of Ceasefire After Conducting Strikes In Gaza | World News
Israel declared the Gaza ceasefire a “renewed practice” on Wednesday, hours after carrying out a series of airstrikes that killed 91 Palestinians, including at least 24 children, in alleged retaliation for the killing of an Israeli soldier and violations by Hamas, Al Jazeera reported.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement shared on site
“In accordance with the directive of the political echelon and following a series of attacks in which dozens of terrorist targets and terrorists were hit, the Israel Defense Forces began to re-enforce the ceasefire in response to violations by Hamas,” the IDF said. he said.
Add Zee News as Preferred Source
Netanyahu instructed his army to “immediately carry out strong attacks in the Gaza Strip,” according to a statement by the Israeli PMO on Tuesday.
“Following security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the army to immediately launch strong attacks in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli PMO said.
The IDF also added that, in coordination with the Israel Security Agency (ISA), it targeted 30 Hamas terrorists who held command positions within the organization.
The statement said, “As part of the attacks, the Israeli Armed Forces and ISA shot 30 terrorists in command positions within the terrorist organizations operating in Gaza. The Israeli Armed Forces will continue to support the ceasefire agreement and will respond harshly to any violation of the agreement.”
Hamas militants attacked Israeli forces east of the so-called yellow line that separates the Israeli-occupied part of Gaza from the rest of the region, a military official said, CNN reported.
According to CNN, it was reported that the troops stationed in the Rafah region came under rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and sniper fire.
Following the attack, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Hamas would pay a “heavy price” for targeting Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel.
“Israel will respond with great force,” Katz said.
Israel also accused Hamas of misidentifying the remains of the most recently repatriated captive as belonging to an abductee whose body was found two years ago.
According to Al Jazeera, Netanyahu said he would decide on next steps after Hamas returns the remains of a previously rescued prisoner.
Hamas condemned the attack, which it described as “criminal bombardment” by Israel, claiming that it violated the ongoing ceasefire agreement. The group denied responsibility for the attack on Israeli soldiers but reiterated its determination to maintain the ceasefire, CNN reported.
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, maintained that nothing would undermine the fragile Gaza ceasefire he brokered a few weeks ago, even after Israel launched deadly airstrikes on the area.
Speaking to reporters during a banter aboard Air Force One, Trump justified Israel’s retaliation by stating that Israel should “fight back.”
While en route to South Korea, the US President said, “They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit.”
Asked whether Israel’s action risked undermining the ceasefire, Trump gave a clear answer and said, “Nothing could jeopardize that.”
He sought to minimize Hamas’s role in the broader peace process, calling the group “a very small part of peace in the Middle East” and warning that its members would face serious consequences if they did not abide by the terms of the ceasefire.
“You have to understand that Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East and they have to behave. They’re on the rough side, but they said they’ll be good, if they’re good they’ll be happy. And if they’re not good they’ll be terminated. Their lives will be terminated. And they understand that. And we have a lot of countries that are willing to do that,” he said.
