“Crush Them Immediately, No Mercy” – Netanyahu Orders Strikes On Gaza After Hamas Violates Ceasefire Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered the military to launch intense airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of breaching the United States-brokered ceasefire agreement.

According to a statement from his office, Netanyahu directed the Israel Defense Forces to “immediately carry out powerful strikes” in Gaza following security consultations in Tel Aviv.

Moments before the announcement, Hamas said it would delay the handover of another hostage’s remains, alleging that Israel had violated the terms of the truce.

The militant group said the decision was due to “occupation violations” that hindered its ongoing efforts to recover and return the bodies of Israeli captives.

Tensions escalated Monday after Israel accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire by returning only partial remains of a hostage whose body had previously been recovered.

Netanyahu’s office described the act as a “clear violation of the agreement,” identifying the remains as belonging to Ofir Tzarfati, one of the victims of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said all responses to the truce breach were being coordinated with U.S President Donald Trump’s administration, while accusing Hamas of staging the recovery of Tzarfati’s remains.

Meanwhile, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum urged the government to take “decisive action” against Hamas, accusing the group of deliberately withholding information on missing hostages.

Hamas, however, rejected the accusation, insisting that ongoing Israeli bombardments had made many recovery sites inaccessible.

Since the truce took effect on October 10, Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages but only part of the 28 agreed bodies. Gaza’s health ministry said at least 94 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began.

The renewed hostilities have heightened fears among residents in Gaza that full-scale fighting could resume.

“It feels like the war will return any moment,” said 60-year-old Abdul-Hayy al-Hajj Ahmed.

“We just want peace, but both sides keep finding reasons to fight.”