Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered the military to carry out intense strikes on the Gaza Strip, after accusing Hamas of violating the US-brokered ceasefire.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu gave the order after chairing a high-level security meeting to assess Israel’s response to the reported breaches. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructs the IDF to carry out immediate and powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
Minutes later, Hamas said it would delay handing over the remains of another hostage under the terms of the truce deal over what it called Israel’s truce “violations.”
“We will postpone the handover that was scheduled for today due to the occupation’s violations,” Hamas’s armed wing said in a statement, adding that any Israeli “escalation will hinder the search, excavation, and recovery of the bodies.”.
The renewed hostilities threaten to further destabilise the fragile truce, deepening tensions in the region as diplomatic efforts to sustain the ceasefire continue to falter.
Over 68,500 Palestinians have been killed since the war began two years ago, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
