Netanyahu orders ‘forceful’ strikes in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “forceful” strikes in the Gaza Strip after Israeli alleged that Hamas violated the ceasefire. An Israeli military official said the terrorist group attacked Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers in Rafah. 

“Following the security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the military echelon to carry out immediate and powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu’s office said Tuesday.

Hamas responded by saying that it will delay the handover of a hostage body, according to The Associated Press. Tuesday’s incident comes after two IDF soldiers were killed by terror operatives in Rafah earlier this month, Israeli military sources previously confirmed to Fox News Digital on October 19th.

The soldiers, identified as Major Yaniv Kula, 26, a company commander in the 932nd Battalion of the Nahal Brigade, and Staff Sergeant Itay Yavetz, 21, a combat soldier in the same battalion, were both based in Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut.

In response to that attack, the IDF launched air and ground strikes across southern Gaza.”The IDF also struck and dismantled six kilometers of underground terrorist infrastructure, using over 120 munitions. The underground site was used by the terrorist organization to advance attacks against the State of Israel,” it said in a statement.

Earlier, Netanyahu said that the remains of a hostage returned by Hamas overnight were body parts of another hostage who was recovered in Gaza by Israeli troops almost two years ago.

Before Netanyahu’s announcement, Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi told Al Jazeera that the group has faced difficulties recovering hostages’ bodies and has asked Israel to approve the entry of heavy equipment as well as permission for search teams to enter “red zones” to get the work done, which Israel allegedly refused.

Al-Hindi also restated Hamas’ commitment to the ceasefire agreement and accused Israel of falsely accusing the group of violating it. Netanyahu’s instructions come just weeks after Israel and Hamas agreed to the ceasefire.

In the weeks following the ceasefire deal, the Israeli military has struck Hamas “to eliminate the threat” posed by militants and “dismantle tunnel shafts and military structures used for terrorist activity.”

Hamas, meanwhile, has reasserted its control over parts of the enclave that Israel has withdrawn from — deploying armed police officers, clashing with rival clans, directly firing on and killing Israeli troops, and carrying out at least one public execution.