Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he had directed the military to launch “powerful attacks” in Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating the U.S.-backed ceasefire.
His office did not detail the targets or timing. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hamas had carried out an attack against Israeli forces “in an area under Israeli control,” calling it “another blatant violation” of the truce.
Earlier, Netanyahu accused Hamas of breaching the agreement by transferring the wrong remains during a process to return the bodies of Israeli hostages. Hamas initially said it would deliver on Tuesday the body of a missing hostage found in a Gaza tunnel, but its armed wing later announced a postponement, citing what it called Israeli violations.
Israeli media reported exchanges of fire in Rafah in southern Gaza. The military did not immediately comment. Hamas said it was complying with the ceasefire and accused Netanyahu of seeking a pretext to evade Israel’s commitments.
The truce stipulates that Hamas releases all living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees, while Israel halts offensive operations and pulls back troops. Hamas also agreed to return the remains of dead hostages not yet recovered, while saying the devastation in Gaza and limited equipment make retrievals difficult. Israel maintains that Hamas can access most of the bodies.
Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the agreement since it took effect.