The Israeli army has resumed airstrikes in the Gaza Strip – Prime Minister Netanyahu had ordered this shortly before. Tensions had recently escalated, partly due to the delayed handover of deceased hostages.

The Israeli Air Force has launched renewed intensive airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Israeli media reported that targets in Gaza City and other locations in the coastal territory were hit.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the militant Islamist group Hamas of violating the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and ordered new attacks. His office announced that the army had been instructed to immediately carry out"intensive" attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Five people were killed in an attack in Khan Younis, according to the Hamas-controlled civil defense. A spokesman said that children were among the dead. A vehicle was deliberately targeted. Two people were also killed and four wounded in Gaza City, where a residential building in the al-Sabra neighborhood was hit.

Firefight despite ceasefire

According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, the attacks were a reaction to an attack by the terrorist organization Hamas against Israeli soldiers and to the delay in the agreed handover of killed hostages.

Israeli TV channel N12 reported that armed Palestinians attacked soldiers in Rafah, using, among other things, an anti-tank missile. A sniper was also reportedly involved. Hamas later stated that it was not responsible for the attack on the soldiers.

According to Palestinian eyewitnesses, several areas around Rafah were shelled after the attack. These reports cannot currently be independently verified.

Hamas postpones handover of dead hostage

Hamas' armed wing announced, following Netanyahu's order, that the planned handover of a hostage's remains would be postponed. The terrorist group stated that Israel had violated the ceasefire. A body had previously been found during search operations in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip. New Israeli attacks would hinder the search and delay the return of the remains.

Outrage over the return of the body

Tensions had recently escalated due to the delayed return of dead hostages to Israel. On Monday evening, Hamas handed over the remains of a man who, according to Netanyahu, had already been buried.

Initially, Israeli authorities believed that the 16th hostage killed had been handed over in accordance with the ceasefire agreement. However, after forensic identification, it turned out that these were further remains of Ofir Tsarfati – whose body had been partially recovered by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip two years earlier and brought to Israel.

Netanyahu had described the incident as a"clear violation" of the ceasefire agreement. The government would meet with top security officials"to discuss Israel's response to the violations," it was further stated.

Ceasefire since October 10th

The Forum of Hostage Families called on the Israeli government to take decisive action against Hamas."In view of Hamas's serious violation of the agreement last night (...) the Israeli government cannot and must not ignore this and must take decisive action against these violations," the Forum declared.

The ceasefire, largely brokered by the US, came into effect on October 10. However, deadly incidents occurred repeatedly from the outset. The handover of all hostages taken to the Gaza Strip – including the remains of deceased hostages – to Israel is part of the agreement.