GAZA CITY – Israel said it had carried out strikes on dozens of Hamas targets following the death of a soldier, with Gaza experiencing its deadliest night of bombing since a US-brokered truce went into effect earlier this month.
After the strikes, the Israeli military said it had begun “renewed enforcement of the ceasefire”, though explosions could still be seen on an AFP live video feed of the Gaza skyline after the statement was issued.
US President Donald Trump, who helped to broker the nearly three-week-old truce, had earlier said that nothing would be allowed to jeopardise it, but he also endorsed Israel’s right to “hit back” if attacked.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said the strikes killed more than 100 people, including at least 35 children, a toll confirmed by an AFP tally of medical sources at five hospitals in Gaza.
The territory’s main Al-Shifa hospital said one strike hit its backyard.
“We had just started to breathe again, trying to rebuild our lives, when the bombardment came back,” said 31-year-old Khadija al-Husni, living under canvas at a school in the Al-Shati refugee camp.
“It’s a crime. Either there is a truce or a war, it can’t be both. The children couldn’t sleep; they thought the war was over.”
In the central city of Deir al-Balah, in a tent near the Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Hospital, Jalal Abbas (40) was close to despair and accused the Israelis of seeking false pretexts to resume their campaign.
“The problem is that Trump gives them cover to kill civilians because they mislead him with false information,” he told AFP.
“We want an end to the war and the escalation. We’re exhausted and on the verge of collapse.” The Israeli military said that its strikes had targeted 30 senior militants, with Defence Minister Israel Katz maintaining “dozens of Hamas commanders were neutralised”.
“There will be no immunity for anyone in the leadership of the terrorist organisation Hamas… Whoever raises a hand against an IDF soldier, his hand will be severed,” he added.
Israel said it launched the wave of strikes after a reservist, Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum (37), was killed in Rafah when his engineering vehicle was hit by enemy fire.
“A few minutes later, several anti-tank missiles were fired at another armoured vehicle belonging to the troops in the area,” a military official said.
Hamas said its fighters had “no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah” and reaffirmed its commitment to the US-backed ceasefire.
It also delayed handing over what it said was the remains of a deceased hostage, because the “escalation will hinder the search, excavation and recovery of the bodies”.
– Nampa/AFP