Israeli airstrikes across Gaza have killed at least 42 people, including children, following accusations that Hamas was responsible for the death of an Israeli soldier and for staging the recovery of a deceased hostage.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to launch “immediate and powerful strikes” in response, his office confirmed. According to a U.S. official, Washington was informed ahead of the operation.
Hamas condemned what it described as “criminal bombardments” that breached the existing ceasefire and denied involvement in any attack on Israeli forces. The group reaffirmed its adherence to the truce and accused Israel of escalating tensions.
The slain soldier was identified as Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum, 37, from the Zayit Raanan settlement in the occupied West Bank. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Feldbaum, a member of the Combat Engineering Corps, was killed in southern Gaza during an exchange of fire. Military officials reported that Hamas fighters attacked Israeli troops near the Rafah area with RPGs and sniper fire.
Hospitals across Gaza confirmed at least 42 fatalities from the subsequent air raids, including several women and children. Strikes hit areas such as Al-Sabra in Gaza City and Khan Younis in the south. The IDF has not yet issued an official comment on the civilian casualties.
Earlier, Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire after the group returned remains to Israel that did not match any of the 13 hostages still missing in Gaza. Israeli officials are reportedly considering new military measures, including reoccupying sections of Gaza or expanding the so-called “yellow line,” the demarcation of Israel’s withdrawal zone.
The IDF also released drone footage claiming to show Hamas militants burying a body wrapped in a white cloth and later pretending to “discover” it in front of Red Cross personnel. The military said the video proved Hamas was attempting to fabricate evidence of efforts to recover Israeli hostages. CNN could not independently verify the footage. The Red Cross responded that its staff were unaware of any staged activity before their arrival and condemned the incident as “unacceptable,” emphasizing that the organization operates “in good faith” under extremely difficult conditions.
Following Israel’s renewed offensive, Hamas announced it would delay the transfer of another hostage’s body, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire and warning that continued escalation would obstruct ongoing recovery efforts.
Tensions have risen further as Hamas said it had retrieved a body from a tunnel in Khan Younis, while another was uncovered in Nuseirat,the site of a June 2024 Israeli rescue operation. The mission freed three hostages but resulted in heavy Palestinian casualties, with more than 270 reported dead.
The ongoing conflict stems from the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza. Since then, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports more than 68,500 Palestinians killed and over 170,000 injured, with thousands still missing under the rubble.
The current ceasefire, established on October 9, 2025, required Hamas to release all Israeli hostages both living and deceased and for Israel to scale back its troop presence. As of Tuesday, only 15 of the 28 bodies of deceased hostages had been returned.
**back biome official**
Mitolyn is a carefully developed, plant-based formula created to help support metabolic efficiency and encourage healthy, lasting weight management.