Israel Plans More Military Action in Gaza Amid Tensions with Hamas
JERUSALEM/CAIRO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that he has directed the military to conduct stronger attacks in Gaza. This decision follows accusations against Hamas for breaking a ceasefire agreement in the area.
Netanyahu’s office did not go into details about the planned attacks. However, an official from the Israeli military claimed that Hamas violated the ceasefire by launching an assault on Israeli forces in a region controlled by Israel. “This is yet another clear breach of the ceasefire,” the official stated.
Earlier, Netanyahu accused Hamas of not adhering to the agreement after they supposedly returned an incorrect set of remains related to the hostage situation.
International Discussions on the Gaza Situation
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister held discussions about the ongoing situation in Gaza, with Pakistan’s participation invited to an important upcoming meeting in Türkiye.
Hamas initially indicated that it would return the body of a hostage discovered in a Gaza tunnel on Tuesday. However, later, the armed wing of Hamas, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that the handover would be postponed due to what it called violations of the ceasefire by Israel.
Reports from Israeli media highlighted exchanges of gunfire between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters in the city of Rafah, though the Israeli military has not commented on these incidents.
Hamas insists that it is following the ceasefire terms, claiming that Netanyahu is attempting to find excuses to avoid fulfilling Israel’s responsibilities.
A ceasefire supported by the U.S. remains in effect between Israel and Hamas, although both sides have accused one another of breaking the terms. According to the ceasefire agreement, Hamas was supposed to release all living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, while Israel agreed to withdraw its troops and stop further military actions.
Hamas has also committed to returning the remains of deceased hostages that have yet to be recovered, but it asserted that locating and retrieving these bodies will require time due to extensive damage in Gaza from two years of conflict.
