Deadliest Day in Gaza Since Ceasefire: 91 Killed as Israel Launches Strikes After Accusing Hamas of Breach

At least 91 Palestinians, including dozens of children, have been killed in a wave of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza — the deadliest day since the fragile ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump came into effect earlier this month.

The strikes, launched overnight on Tuesday, followed Israel’s accusation that Hamas fighters killed an Israeli soldier and staged the discovery of a hostage’s remains to “manipulate” the truce process.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered what his office described as “immediate and powerful strikes” in Gaza, adding that the military had notified Washington ahead of the assault.

Israel blames Hamas for violating ceasefire

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) named the slain soldier as Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum, 37, from the Zayit Raanan settlement in the occupied West Bank. The Combat Engineering Corps officer reportedly died during combat in southern Gaza after troops came under RPG and sniper fire in Rafah.

A senior military official said the incident occurred east of the so-called “yellow line” that divides Israeli-controlled zones from the rest of Gaza.

Hamas, however, denied attacking Israeli troops and accused Israel of “criminal bombardment” that violated the ceasefire. The group reaffirmed its commitment to the truce and blamed Israel for escalating the violence.

Health officials in Gaza said at least 91 people were killed overnight, with the toll expected to rise as rescue workers comb through the rubble. Roughly half of the victims were children, according to Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, who described the situation as “catastrophic.”

“There are no medicines or medical supplies to treat the wounded and the sick,” he told CNN.

Smoke and fire lit up the night sky in several parts of Gaza, including Deir al-Balah and Northern Gaza, as displaced families in makeshift camps counted mounting losses.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump told reporters it was his understanding that “they killed an Israeli soldier,” adding that “Israel hit back.”

He insisted the ceasefire would continue, saying, “Nothing’s going to jeopardize it,” while again warning that Hamas would be “terminated” if it violated the deal further.

Video fuels controversy over hostage remains

The Israeli military also released a drone video claiming to show Hamas operatives burying a white shroud in Gaza City before “staging” its discovery in front of Red Cross officials. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its team was unaware a body had been placed there earlier, calling the act “unacceptable.”

“It is unacceptable that a fake recovery was staged when so many families are still waiting for news of their loved ones,” the ICRC said.

CNN said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage or the identities of those in it

Following Netanyahu’s order for renewed strikes, Hamas announced it would suspend the handover of a hostage’s body, accusing Israel of violating the truce. The militant group warned that further escalation could “hinder search and recovery efforts for deceased hostages.”

Hamas had planned to transfer the remains of a hostage recovered from Khan Younis via the Red Cross. Another body was discovered in Nuseirat, where Israel carried out a deadly rescue operation in June 2024 that freed three hostages but killed more than 270 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Since Israel’s war on Hamas began on October 7, 2023, after the militant group killed over 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 251 people, Gaza’s Ministry of Health says more than 68,500 Palestinians have been killed and 170,000 injured. Thousands remain buried under collapsed buildings.

The October 2025 ceasefire, signed after months of US-brokered negotiations, required Hamas to release all remaining hostages — both living and deceased — in exchange for a phased Israeli withdrawal. As of Tuesday, Hamas had returned 15 of the 28 bodies of deceased hostages still believed to be in Gaza.

But with the latest bloodshed, the truce — and the hope for lasting calm — now hangs by a thread.