• Source:JND
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to launch “immediate and powerful strikes” in the Gaza Strip, escalating tensions just days after a fragile ceasefire had taken effect. The directive followed a high-level security meeting in Jerusalem late Tuesday, where Netanyahu and senior defence officials discussed what they called “serious and unacceptable breaches” of the ceasefire by Hamas.

Netanyahu’s office announced the directive late Tuesday after high-level security consultations, stating: “Prime Minister Netanyahu instructs the military to immediately carry out powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip.”

The order came hours after Israel said that forensic tests revealed the coffin handed over by Hamas on Monday did not contain the body of a new hostage. Instead, the remains were identified as belonging to Ofir Tzarfati, whose body had already been recovered by Israeli forces in late 2023. The Israeli government called the incident a “clear violation” of the ceasefire deal and accused Hamas of deliberately misleading mediators. 

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Israel Says Hamas Lying About Hostages

In a statement posted by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, officials claimed Hamas “lies” and “knows exactly where the remaining hostages are.” The ministry also accused Hamas of staging excavations and reburying remains to deceive international observers, including the Red Cross. Drone footage released by Israeli authorities allegedly shows Hamas militants moving and re-covering remains before a staged discovery. “This is not only abusive, it endangers the ceasefire itself,” the ministry said, warning that such actions could push Israel to intensify military operations.

Hamas Postpones Hostage Handover

In response, Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, announced it was postponing the handover of another hostage’s body scheduled for Tuesday evening. The group blamed what it described as Israeli “violations” of the US-brokered ceasefire. “Any Israeli escalation will hinder the search, excavation, and recovery of the bodies,” the group said.

An Associated Press videographer in Khan Younis captured footage of men, some masked, carrying a white body bag from a tunnel before placing it into an ambulance. However, it remains unclear whose remains were in the bag. 

Hamas insists it remains committed to the ceasefire, brokered by the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, but claims it needs more time to recover remains buried under rubble from nearly two years of war. The group accused Israel of “fabricating false pretexts” to justify renewed aggression, urging mediators to ensure that humanitarian operations continue “away from political and aggressive calculations.”

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