Over 100 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Strikes as Hamas Accused of Killing Israeli Soldier

A fragile ceasefire in Gaza is on the brink of collapse after Israeli airstrikes killed at least 104 Palestinians overnight, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel says the strikes were a direct response to Hamas “violations” of the US-brokered truce, while Hamas insists it remains committed to the agreement and denies attacking Israeli forces.

The Israeli military said it hit “dozens of terror targets and terrorists,” including what it described as senior commanders, after one of its soldiers, Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum, was killed when an engineering vehicle was fired on while dismantling a tunnel route near Rafah. Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed Hamas had crossed “a bright red line,” warning the group would “pay many times over.”

Hamas has rejected the accusations, saying, “Hamas affirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement.” The group called Israel’s bombing campaign “a blatant violation” of the deal, which was meant to end the two-year war.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes across Gaza City, Beit Lahia, and Khan Younis as explosions ripped through residential areas. “Pillars of fire and smoke” were seen rising into the sky as entire families were buried under rubble. Gaza’s health ministry said the dead included 46 children and 20 women, with more than 250 people wounded.

One of the strikes hit a tent sheltering displaced families in Deir el-Balah. “These documented crimes add to the long list of ongoing violations against our people,” the Palestinian Civil Defence said, calling for an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.”

The Israeli military said it had now “begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire,” promising to respond firmly to any breach. But the attacks are on track to double the number of Palestinians killed since the truce began earlier this month.

President Donald Trump, whose administration brokered the truce, defended Israel’s actions. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he said, “As I understand it, they took out an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. Nothing is going to jeopardise [the ceasefire].” He added, “Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave.”

The strike followed a series of disputes over returning hostages’ remains. Earlier this week, Israel accused Hamas of staging a “fake recovery” of a hostage’s body that turned out to have already been recovered and reburied months ago before being handed over to the Red Cross. The Red Cross, which attended the scene, said, “It is unacceptable that a fake recovery was staged, when so much depends on this agreement being upheld.” Hamas called the Israeli claims “baseless” and said Israel was “seeking to fabricate false pretexts” for more attacks.

The ceasefire, part of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, had been showing cracks for days. Under the deal, Hamas agreed to return all living and deceased hostages, while Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. But delays and confusion over the return of bodies have fueled tensions on both sides.

As the smoke clears over Gaza, fears are growing that the latest round of strikes could unravel what little calm the ceasefire brought. For residents on the ground, that fragile hope is fading fast. “The skies are filled with fighter jets, drones and reconnaissance aircraft,” said Al Jazerra’s reporter Hani Mahmoud from Gaza City. “A brief hope for calm has turned into despair.”