The Israeli military said yesterday that it would abide by a ceasefire accord in Gaza, as health officials in the enclave said air strikes had killed 104 people, with both Israel and Hamas trading blame for violations of the deal.
Israel launched air strikes in Gaza late on Tuesday, saying it acted after an attack by Palestinians killed one soldier, in the latest challenge to an already fragile ceasefire.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it would continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement and would respond firmly to ‘any violation’.
Air strikes targeted Hamas commander, Israel said.
In a separate statement, the military said it had targeted dozens of Hamas fighters across the enclave, as well as weapons depots and tunnels belonging to the group.
It named five fighters, including a commander, who it said took part in an attack on an Israeli kibbutz during the October 7, 2023 assault that triggered the war.
The Gaza health ministry said that 46 children and 20 women were among the 104 people killed in Israeli air strikes since Tuesday.
Reuters couldn’t immediately verify the numbers, but Reuters video showed several bodies of women and children inside a hospital during funeral processions.
Despite the bombardments, US President Donald Trump said the US-backed ceasefire was not at risk.
“As I understand it, they took out an Israeli soldier,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
“So the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit back,” he added.
The Israeli military confirmed the soldier’s death yesterday.
“Nothing is going to jeopardise” the ceasefire, Trump said.
“You have to understand Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave.”
Israel says Hamas attacked soldiers within ‘yellow line’
Some displaced Palestinians feared the truce was falling apart. Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three children, recalled the sounds of explosions throughout the night, a reminder of a war that has killed tens of thousands.
“It was one of the worst nights since the ceasefire was signed. The sounds of explosions and planes made us feel as if war had started again,” Zayda, who lives in tents in western Gaza City with his 25-member family, told Reuters via a chat app.
An Israeli military official said Hamas had violated the ceasefire by carrying out an attack against Israeli forces who were stationed within the so-called ‘yellow line’, the deployment line agreed upon in the ceasefire.
Hamas denied responsibility for the attack on Israeli forces in Rafah, in southern Gaza, and said in a statement that it remained committed to the ceasefire deal, which went into effect on October 10.
Under the accord, Hamas released all living hostages in return for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees, while Israel pulled back its troops and halted its offensive.
Hamas also agreed to hand over the remains of all dead hostages yet to be recovered, but has said that it will take time to locate and retrieve all of the bodies.
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