Netanyahu Orders "Immediate Powerful" Strikes On Gaza In New Test For Ceasefire

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered immediate "forceful strikes" in the Gaza Strip after accusing Hamas of violating the ceasefire.

The order follows heightened tensions after Israel reported that Hamas fired on its forces in southern Gaza and after Israel claimed that Hamas returned a set of remains that belonged to a hostage already recovered.

Following security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu has directed the military to immediately carry out forceful strikes in the Gaza Strip.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 28, 2025

Minutes after Netanyahu ordered the strikes, Hamas announced that it would postpone the handover of another hostage body that was scheduled for Tuesday evening.

"We will postpone the handover that was scheduled for today due to the occupation's violations," the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement. It added that any Israeli "escalation will hinder the search, excavation, and recovery of the bodies".

On Monday, Hamas had handed over the 16th of 28 hostage bodies that it had agreed to return as a part of the ceasefire deal that came into effect on October 10th. However, after forensic examination it was found that the remains were of the same hostage whose body had been returned two years back -- Ofir Tzarfati.

According to the Associated Press, Israeli troops were shot at in Rafah on Tuesday, after which they returned fire, per an Israeli military official.

Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian informed journalists that although nothing is "off the table" in terms of consequences for Hamas, "all of this is in full coordination with the United States, with (US) President (Donald) Trump and his team."

She also accused Hamas of staging the discovery of Tzarfati's remains. "I can confirm to you today that Hamas dug a hole in the ground yesterday, placed the partial remains of Ofir inside of it, covered it back up with dirt, and handed it over to the Red Cross," she said.

Hamas are lying about our hostages and here's the proof:

Yesterday, Hamas terrorists were filmed removing body remains from a prepared structure and re-burying them nearby, before summoning Red Cross representatives to stage a false “discovery” for photographers.

Despite… pic.twitter.com/c9CkJo3msW

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 28, 2025

"This is the third time we have been forced to open Ofir's grave and rebury our son," Tzarfati's family were quoted as saying in the statement from Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum.