ISRAEL LAUNCHES STRIKES ON GAZA, CITING HAMAS BREACH OF US-BROKERED CEASEFIRE. (PHOTO).

 Israel launches strikes on Gaza, citing Hamas breach of US-brokered ceasefire

Israeli warplanes struck targets across Gaza on Tuesday after Israel accused Hamas of violating a ceasefire, marking the latest test of a U.S.-brokered agreement that took effect earlier this month. Local health officials reported at least 26 people killed, including five in a home in the Bureij refugee camp, four in a building in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, and five in a vehicle in Khan Younis. The airstrikes continued into early Wednesday, witnesses said.

Israeli authorities said the strikes were in response to Hamas attacks against Israeli forces in areas under Israeli control, calling the actions a “blatant violation of the ceasefire.” The deal, mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump and enacted on October 10, ended two years of fighting triggered by a Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. Both sides have accused the other of breaches since the truce began. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who visited Israel last week with other Trump administration officials, said the ceasefire was holding despite the flare-up.

Tensions over the handling of hostages have added to the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas violated the truce by returning incorrect remains of hostages, including Ofir Tzarfati, an Israeli killed during the October 2023 attacks. Hamas’ armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, said it postponed a planned handover of a hostage, citing Israel’s alleged ceasefire violations. Late Tuesday, Hamas reported recovering the bodies of two Israeli hostages, Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch, while accusing Netanyahu of seeking excuses to avoid fulfilling Israel’s obligations.

The ceasefire terms include the release of living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, while Israel has pulled back troops and paused its offensive. Hamas has also agreed to return the remains of deceased hostages, a process slowed by Gaza’s damaged infrastructure. Egyptian teams have been assisting in the search, excavating tunnels in Khan Younis and Nuseirat with Hamas fighters to locate bodies.

In Gaza City, one strike killed four people near Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in northern Gaza, which was also hit, while two more were wounded in Zawayda. The ongoing conflict has left Gaza’s health authorities reporting 68,000 confirmed deaths, with thousands more missing. The fighting stems from Hamas’s October 7 attacks in southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and brought 251 hostages into Gaza.