Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to carry out what he called “powerful” attacks on Gaza, accusing Hamas of breaching the ceasefire agreement that has been in place since early October.
In a statement issued after a security consultation on Tuesday, Mr Netanyahu’s office said Hamas had “violated the truce” by failing to return the bodies of 13 Israeli captives still believed to be held in Gaza.
Israel also accused the militant group of misidentifying the remains of a recently returned body, saying it belonged to a hostage whose corpse had been recovered two years ago.
According to Israeli officials, drone footage allegedly showed Hamas “staging” the return of bodies by moving and reburying remains for the Red Cross to witness.
Israeli troops reportedly came under attack in Rafah, southern Gaza, earlier on Tuesday. Tel Aviv blamed Hamas for the incident, though the group denied any involvement.
Shortly after Mr Netanyahu’s order, heavy gunfire and explosions were heard in Rafah.
The flare-up threatens to unravel the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on 9 October. Under the truce, both sides were expected to exchange hostages living and dead as part of a broader humanitarian deal.
Hamas, meanwhile, has accused Israel of blocking efforts to recover the bodies of deceased Israeli captives. The group said Israel prevented search teams and heavy machinery from accessing key areas in Gaza.
The Hamas-run media office in Gaza also alleged that Israel had committed more than 120 ceasefire violations since the agreement began, including the killing of at least 94 Palestinians.
Despite the renewed violence, Hamas insisted it remained “committed to the truce.”