OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
11:31 AM – Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to launch “immediate and powerful strikes” in the Gaza Strip, following what his office described as “repeated violations” of the already-fragile peace agreement with Hamas.
The directive came late Monday night after Netanyahu convened a high-level security meeting with senior defense officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, to discuss Israel’s response to the escalating situation.
The current truce, which came into effect on October 10th following weeks of U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediation, was designed to halt large-scale hostilities and facilitate the return of hostages and humanitarian aid.
However, tensions have escalated steadily in recent days.
Israel has accused Hamas of attacking IDF forces in southern Gaza near Rafah, in addition to reneging on commitments to return the remains of Israeli hostages. Hamas, on the other hand, accuses Israel of breaching the ceasefire by maintaining a military presence in parts of the enclave and delaying aid shipments.
Israeli officials say the immediate trigger for Netanyahu’s order was an incident in which Hamas operatives abruptly fired on IDF soldiers, killing one and injuring two others — an act Israel labeled a “blatant breach of the truce.”
The latest deterioration also stems from a dispute over the handling of hostage remains.
Israeli officials noted that Hamas delayed the return of several bodies promised under the ceasefire deal and instead presented the remains of another hostage. On Monday Hamas handed over remains via the Red Cross, but Israeli authorities identified it the next day as belonging to another hostage whose body had already been recovered from Gaza in 2023 — effectively a “substitute” that did not fulfill the promised handover of new remains, according to The Times of Israel outlet.
On Tuesday, after identification protocols, Israeli authorities announced that the remains actually belonged to Ofir Tzarfati, whose body had already been recovered in 2023.
Although Tzarfati’s body was recovered by Israeli forces in 2023, Hamas apparently retained additional partial remains — such as bone fragments and tissue — handing over a “portion” of those. Israeli authorities accuse Hamas of staging the “discovery” of these remains, and drone footage shows operatives burying a body bag, covering it with dirt, and then unearthing it in front of Red Cross personnel.
Netanyahu’s office called this a deliberate manipulation and a clear violation of the ceasefire deal.
Meanwhile, though the IDF has not released details about certain targets, Israeli media reports suggest preparations are underway for coordinated air and artillery strikes on Hamas infrastructure in southern and central Gaza.
Early on Tuesday, local sources in Gaza also reported an Israeli aircraft overhead and explosions near Khan Younis and Rafah. The IDF has not confirmed those reports to be accurate, but said it is “ready for any scenario.”
Additionally, a senior Israeli security source told Ynet that the planned response “will be broad and decisive but not a return to full-scale war — unless Hamas forces that choice.”
As far as mediation goes, Egypt and Qatar, both key mediators in the ceasefire talks, have since urged restraint. The U.S. State Department also emphasized it was “deeply concerned” by the developments and called on both sides to avoid actions that could reignite a large-scale conflict.
Analysts say the coming days will be critical in determining whether this marks a limited reprisal or the collapse of the ceasefire entirely.
As of Tuesday morning, Israeli forces were reportedly on high alert along the Gaza border, and residents of southern Israel were instructed to stay near bomb shelters in case of retaliation.
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