By: Sunday Ameh
Gaza’s civil defence agency has reported that at least 50 people were killed overnight following a series of Israeli airstrikes across the Palestinian territory.
According to the agency’s spokesperson, Mahmud Bassal, the attacks targeted tents for displaced persons, residential buildings, and the vicinity of a hospital, leaving 22 children, several women, and elderly people among the dead. About 200 others were injured in the bombardments.
Bassal condemned the strikes as “a clear and flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement,” stressing that they struck areas already devastated by months of conflict.
The Israeli military said the air raids were launched in retaliation for what it described as a Hamas attack that killed an Israeli soldier, identified as Yona Efraim Feldbaum, in Rafah on Tuesday. Israeli officials said Feldbaum died when an engineering vehicle was hit by “enemy fire.”
Hamas, however, denied any involvement in the incident, insisting it remained committed to the U.S.-brokered truce.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during his tour of Asia, U.S. President Donald Trump defended Israel’s response but maintained that the truce remained intact.
“They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back. And they should hit back,” Trump said. “But nothing’s going to jeopardise the ceasefire.”
Medical officials in Gaza said the latest strikes hit near Al-Shifa Hospital and several refugee camps, including Nuseirat and Al-Shati, where many displaced families had sought shelter. Al-Awda Hospital confirmed it had received multiple bodies, including those of four children.
Residents described scenes of chaos and fear.
“We had just started to breathe again, trying to rebuild our lives, when the bombardment came back,” said Khadija al-Husni, a displaced mother living in Al-Shati camp. “It’s a crime. Either there is a truce or a war — it can’t be both.”
The renewed hostilities come amid tensions over the return of Israeli hostage remains, a key component of the ceasefire agreement. Israel has accused Hamas of delaying and violating the deal, while the militant group insists the bombardments have made it difficult to locate and recover the bodies buried beneath the rubble.
The ongoing conflict, which began in October 2023, has so far claimed the lives of over 68,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry figures considered reliable by the United Nations.
Despite the ceasefire, residents fear a full-scale return to war as both sides trade blame over renewed attacks.
“I expected the escalation to resume because Israel always finds a pretext,” said Jalal Abbas, a Gaza resident. “Every day they threaten to bring back the war, using the issue of the bodies as an excuse.”
Leave a Reply