In a sharp escalation that risks reigniting the Gaza conflict, Israel launched multiple airstrikes across the enclave targeting Khan Younis, Gaza City, and the Bureij refugee camp after accusing Hamas of violating the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. At least 30 Palestinians, including women and children, have been reported dead, with dozens injured, as residential buildings and public facilities were reduced to rubble.
Tel Aviv claims the operation was a “measured response” to the killing of an Israeli soldier allegedly carried out by Hamas militants. However, Hamas has denied involvement, blaming Israel for sabotaging the truce first by conducting unauthorized drone flights and delaying humanitarian aid convoys. The exchange of hostages and remains a core part of the ceasefire has further strained tensions, with Israel accusing Hamas of “deceptive handovers” and Hamas countering that Israel’s actions are aimed at derailing negotiations.
Internationally, the strikes have sparked concern. The United Nations warned that renewed hostilities could “shatter months of fragile diplomacy,” while Washington urged restraint but reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defense. Analysts caution that this could reopen the cycle of retaliation that devastated Gaza earlier this year, collapsing regional stability. As global attention wavers, Gaza risks returning to a battlefield caught between political vengeance and humanitarian despair.
