The Israeli military said it carried out airstrikes on Gaza in response to Hamas fighters allegedly attacking Israeli soldiers in Rafah, killing one soldier. Following the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the army to carry out “powerful operations” in Gaza.

Shortly after his statement, Israeli warplanes struck multiple areas across the enclave. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 104 people — including 45 children — were killed, and dozens more were injured in the attacks.

Trump Voices Support for Netanyahu

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for Israel’s actions, saying the country had “the right to respond.” He stated, “Hamas killed an Israeli soldier, and the Israelis responded. When that happens, a response is necessary.”

Trump also described Hamas as “a small part of the Middle East agreement” and warned, “If Hamas does not do what is necessary, it will be destroyed.”

Hamas Reaffirms Commitment to Ceasefire

Hamas’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, announced that two Israeli hostages’ bodies — identified as Amiram Cooper and Saher Baruch — were recovered from the rubble during search operations.

Hamas said the handover of the remains was postponed due to Israel’s “violations of the ceasefire.” The group stressed its commitment to the truce, denying any role in the Rafah attack.

U.S. Says Ceasefire “Still in Effect”

Israeli media reported that Israel, in coordination with the U.S., decided to extend its military control beyond the “yellow line” defined in the ceasefire deal. Tel Aviv reportedly informed the White House before resuming the strikes.

However, U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated that “the ceasefire in Gaza remains in effect,” describing Israel’s actions as a limited response. “Hamas or another group in Gaza attacked Israeli forces. The U.S. expects Israel to respond,” Vance added.

Confusion Over Repatriated Remains

Following the ceasefire agreement, efforts to exchange hostages and bodies have continued, though the process has been complicated by widespread destruction in Gaza.

The latest body handed over to Israel reportedly did not match any of the 13 remaining hostages. The Israeli National Forensic Institute said the remains belonged to a hostage already declared dead in a previous exchange. Netanyahu subsequently convened his cabinet for an emergency meeting.

Hamas, meanwhile, emphasized the challenges of locating bodies under the rubble: “We are doing everything possible to recover and return the remaining bodies as soon as possible,” the group said.

The Status of the Gaza Ceasefire and Prisoner Exchange

The ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas came into effect on October 10. Under the agreement, Israeli troops withdrew to the designated “yellow line,” and hostilities were suspended at noon the same day.

Despite this, Israeli forces have intermittently carried out attacks in Gaza, citing security threats. Hamas has so far handed over 17 Israeli bodies, but Israel claimed some of them were previously identified remains.

Israel has returned 195 Palestinian bodies to Gaza via the Red Cross, most without identification data. Gaza authorities said only 72 of these bodies have been identified so far. According to Gaza’s Media Office, many showed signs of “torture and close-range gunfire,” which it described as evidence of “field executions” by Israeli forces.