Israel said it had resumed its ceasefire in Gaza Oct. 29 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a wave of overnight airstrikes that left several dead amid mounting criticism from the international community.
“In accordance with the directive of the political echelon, and following a series of strikes, in which dozens of terror targets and terrorists were struck, the IDF has begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire in response to Hamas’ violations,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated in an X post.
The IDF said, alongside the Israel Security Agency, it “struck 30 terrorists holding command positions within the terrorist organizations operating in Gaza,” and said Israel “will continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement and will respond firmly to any violation of it.” The military also released a list of Hamas militants it killed.
Reuters reported that the strikes killed 104 people — including 46 children and 20 women — according to Gaza’s health authorities. Another 253 people were reportedly injured.
Later that day, Israel announced it had carried out another strike in northern Gaza, claiming it targeted a weapons cache “intended for an imminent attack on IDF soldiers and the State of Israel.” According to Reuters, local medics said two people were killed in that strike.
As CatholicVote previously reported, Netanyahu ordered the strikes Oct. 28, directing the military to “carry out powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip immediately,” after his office accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire. His office said Hamas had returned partial remains of an Israeli hostage already recovered two years earlier, and Israeli media reported that a Hamas gunman killed an Israeli soldier the same day.
While both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of breaking the ceasefire, the latest bombardment marks the most significant escalation since the truce began.
The strikes drew immediate criticism from some online, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who condemned the civilian casualties in an X post.
“Israel’s military said Wednesday that the ceasefire was back on in Gaza after it killed 104 people, including 46 children, according to local health officials,” she wrote, adding “Are these not war crimes?”
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