Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Resumes After Deadly Gaza Airstrikes Kill 104 Palestinians Including 46 Children

Israel's military announced Wednesday that the ceasefire in Gaza has been reinstated following extensive overnight airstrikes across the Palestinian territory that resulted in 104 fatalities, including 46 children, according to Gaza health officials.

These deadly strikes, the most severe since the ceasefire began on October 10, have posed the most significant challenge to the fragile truce thus far.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu authorized the strikes after claiming Hamas violated the ceasefire by returning partial remains of a hostage that Israel says were recovered earlier in the war. The situation deteriorated further when an Israeli soldier was killed during an exchange of gunfire in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city.

US President Trump, while traveling in Asia, defended Israel's actions, stating they were justified following Hamas' killing of the Israeli soldier who also held American citizenship.

Hamas denied involvement in the shooting and accused Israel of "a blatant violation of the ceasefire deal." The group also announced it would delay returning another hostage's body to Israel in response to the strikes.

Netanyahu called Monday's return of body parts a "clear violation" of the agreement, which requires Hamas to return all hostage remains as quickly as possible. Israeli officials also accused Hamas of staging the discovery of some remains, sharing a 14-minute edited military drone video from Gaza.

Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Marmorstein stated that Hamas bears responsibility for the consequences of violating the ceasefire and attributed the high casualty count to Hamas using civilians as human shields.

Marmorstein confirmed that Washington was informed about the strikes, which were conducted in full coordination with the United States.

Hamas responded Wednesday saying the Israeli strikes reveal "a clear Israeli intention to undermine the ceasefire agreement and impose new realities by force." The group also claimed the US is providing Netanyahu with "political cover" to continue aggression in Gaza.

Hamas has stated it faces difficulties locating hostage bodies amid Gaza's extensive destruction, while Israel has accused Hamas of deliberately delaying their return.

Thirteen hostage bodies remain in Gaza, and their slow return complicates progress toward the ceasefire's next phases, which address more complex issues including Hamas disarmament, deployment of international security forces, and determining Gaza's future governance.

Marmorstein asserted that Hamas was "trying to do everything possible to avoid" disarming.

Trump told reporters on Air Force One that Israel "should hit back" when its troops are attacked, but expressed confidence the ceasefire would withstand this escalation because "Hamas is a very small part of the overall Middle East peace. And they have to behave." He added that if not, they would be "terminated."

An Israeli military official identified the killed soldier as Master Sgt. Yona Efraim Feldbaum, 37, stating he died from "enemy fire" targeting his vehicle on Tuesday.

The official, speaking anonymously due to the confidential nature of military operations, said Israeli forces in the area faced multiple attacks on Tuesday while destroying tunnels and Hamas infrastructure.

Hamas maintained it was not involved in the Rafah gunfire, reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire, and called on mediators to pressure Israel to stop.

The Israeli military stated Wednesday that it conducted "precise strikes against dozens of Hamas" targets throughout Gaza overnight, including individuals, observation posts, weapons depots, mortar positions, and tunnels.

Among those killed were three battalion commanders, two deputy battalion commanders, and 16 company commanders, according to the Israeli military. These included militants involved in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that initiated the war, such as Nukhba company commander Hatem Maher Mousa Qudra, who led the assault on Ein Hashlosha Kibbutz.

The Israeli military affirmed it would continue to "respond firmly and act decisively to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel."

Gaza's Palestinian Health Ministry reported 104 total deaths from the overnight strikes with 253 wounded, primarily women and children.

Mohammed Abu Selmia, Shifa Hospital director in Gaza City, reported 45 people in critical condition, including 20 children. The hospital received 21 additional bodies, including seven women and six children.

Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah reported at least 10 fatalities, including three women and six children. In southern Gaza, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received 20 bodies following five Israeli strikes, including 13 children and two women.

In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital reported receiving 30 bodies, including 14 children.

Ambulances and small trucks carrying bodies crowded hospital entrances across Gaza overnight. In Deir Al-Balah, bodies arrived on stretchers and mattresses, with one man carrying a young child's body.

"They struck right next to us, and we saw all the rubble on top of us and our young ones," said a woman outside the hospital.

At dawn, displaced Palestinians at the camp cleared remains of a destroyed tent beside a strike crater, discovering and wrapping a small child's body in a blanket.

"What kind of a ceasefire is this?" questioned Amna Qrinawi.

At Al-Awda Hospital, crowds gathered around dozens of shrouded bodies for funeral prayers as family members mourned their loved ones.

Yehya Eid, who lost his brother and nephews, wept over a small bloodied shroud outside the hospital, saying the strike came without warning.

"These are children who were killed. What did they do wrong? Did they fight in the war?" Eid asked.

Funeral prayers were also conducted outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

"These are massacres," said Haneen Mteir, who lost her sister and nephews. "They burned children while they were asleep."

Najwa Erian expressed gratitude that her children survived when their building collapsed in one of the strikes.

"It was thanks to the young men from the neighbourhood who all came to check on us and were able to save the children," she recounted.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, over 68,500 Palestinians have been killed in the two-year war in Gaza. The ministry, which maintains detailed casualty records generally considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts, doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. Israel has disputed these figures without providing its own toll.