GAZA CITY, 29 October (H.S.): A fragile, US-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was pushed to the brink on Tuesday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered powerful strikes on the territory, citing what he called a bright red line crossed by Hamas.
The military action followed accusations that Hamas attacked Israeli troops and violated the terms of the truce agreement concerning the return of hostage remains.The evening air in Gaza was filled with the sound of explosions as Israeli forces conducted a series of airstrikes.
Gaza’s civil defense agency reported at least 30 fatalities in strikes that targeted several areas, including the vicinity of the main Al-Shifa hospital. One strike on a vehicle in Khan Younis killed five people, while an attack on a home in Gaza City resulted in four deaths. Witnesses reported seeing explosions and hearing tank fire in Gaza City and Deir al Balah.
The escalation came after Israel’s military said its forces had been fired upon in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Hamas denied any connection to the shooting incident. Tensions were already high due to a dispute over the repatriation of hostages’ bodies. Israel accused Hamas of a clear violation of the ceasefire by handing over the partial remains of a hostage whose body had been recovered nearly two years prior.
In response to the Israeli strikes, Hamas’s armed wing announced it would postpone the scheduled handover of another hostage’s body, stating that the escalation will hinder the search, excavation, and recovery of the bodies.
Despite the renewed violence, US Vice President JD Vance, who had visited Israel to support the truce, suggested the ceasefire was still intact. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be little skirmishes, he said, adding, We expect the Israelis are going to respond — but I think the president’s peace is going to hold.
The ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, had brought a period of relative calm after more than two years of devastating conflict.
The war began with a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,221 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has led to the deaths of at least 68,531 people in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas had agreed to return all 20 living hostages and the remains of 28 deceased captives. While all living hostages were freed, the process of returning the bodies has been fraught with difficulty and mistrust. Hamas maintains that locating all the remains in the war-torn landscape is a significant challenge.
As the people of Gaza braced for what might come next, the sentiment on the ground was one of fear and exhaustion. We want to rest, one Gaza resident told AFP. I believe the war will come back.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
