More than a hundred Palestinians lost their lives overnight as Israeli airstrikes pounded several areas across Gaza, just hours after Israel accused Hamas of killing one of its soldiers — a move that threatens to unravel the fragile ceasefire.
Witnesses in Gaza described seeing “pillars of fire and smoke” rising over homes and crowded neighborhoods as explosions shook the night sky. Health officials said at least 104 people were killed, including dozens of children and women, and over 250 others were injured.
Entire families were buried beneath the rubble. In Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, rescuers pulled three women and a man from the remains of the al-Banna family home. In Bureij camp, five members of the Abu Sharar family were killed when a strike hit their house. In Khan Younis, relatives wept as they mourned a mother, Bayan al-Shawaf, and her four children who died in a strike on a tent where displaced families had been sleeping.
“What kind of ceasefire is this?” cried Bayan’s cousin, Umm Mohammed. “The children were sleeping — they just wanted to live, to learn.”
Israel’s military said the strikes were a response to what it called “violations of the ceasefire” by Hamas, accusing the group of launching an attack that killed a soldier, identified as Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum. The attack reportedly took place near Rafah, when Israeli engineers working to dismantle a tunnel came under fire.
Israeli leaders vowed retaliation, saying Hamas had crossed a “red line.” But Hamas denied involvement, insisting it remained committed to the ceasefire and accusing Israel of trying to provoke renewed fighting.
The United States said it believed the ceasefire would hold, even as it backed Israel’s right to respond to attacks. “Nothing will jeopardize the ceasefire,” said President Trump, while also stating that Israel “should hit back” if its soldiers are targeted.
International voices expressed concern over the mounting death toll. The UN’s human rights chief called the reports of civilian deaths “appalling,” urging all sides not to let the chance for peace slip away.
The ceasefire, brokered by the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, was meant to be the first stage of a broader peace plan. Under the agreement, Hamas was to return all hostages — living and deceased — while Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Tensions spiked earlier in the week after Hamas returned a coffin that Israel said did not contain the remains of one of its hostages. Israel called it a “clear violation” of the deal, while Hamas dismissed the accusation as false.
Despite repeated efforts to maintain calm, the violence has reignited fears that Gaza could once again descend into full-scale war. Since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in 2023, more than 68,000 Palestinians have been killed, with thousands more injured or displaced.
As Gaza’s people sift through rubble and grief, many are left wondering how long any truce can truly last.