Israeli prime minister orders ‘immediate, powerful’ strikes in Gaza despite ceasefire
Date: 28 October 2025
Location: Jerusalem / Gaza Strip
sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli army on Tuesday to launch “immediate, powerful strikes” in the Gaza Strip despite a ceasefire agreement, his office said, Anadolu reports.
In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the decision to immediately carry out powerful strikes in Gaza came after security consultations followed alleged ceasefire violations by the Palestinian group.
The move came as the public broadcaster KAN said that the premier also decided to expand the territory under the army’s control in Gaza on claims of ceasefire violations by Hamas.
KAN said that the Israeli premier was coordinating with senior US officials on the move.
Netanyahu’s office, however, declined to comment on the report.
Israeli media said that the escalation came after Israeli forces came under sniper fire and anti-tank shells in the southern city of Rafah.
In response to the Israeli decision, Hamas said the planned handover of the body of an Israeli captive will be postponed due to Tel Aviv’s ceasefire violations.
“Any Israeli escalation will hinder search and excavation operations and the retrieval of bodies, which will delay the return of the occupiers’ dead,” the group’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, warned in a statement.
Hamas was planned to transfer the remains of an Israeli body at 8 pm local time (1800GMT) under the ceasefire deal, which took effect on Oct. 10.
The ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Oct. 10 under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan.
Phase one of the deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.
Israel has killed more than 68,500 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 170,000 others in deadly attacks in Gaza since October 2023.
