TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered the military to launch powerful strikes on the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of violating a U.S.-brokered ceasefire by returning partial remains of a hostage already identified years ago.
“Following security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the military to immediately carry out powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip,” his office said in a brief statement, without giving details.
The renewed escalation came minutes after Hamas announced it was delaying the handover of another hostage’s remains, citing what it called Israel’s “violations” of the fragile truce that came into effect on October 10.
“We will postpone the handover that was scheduled for today due to the occupation’s violations,” the group’s armed wing said, warning that any Israeli escalation would “hinder the search, excavation, and recovery of the bodies.”
Remains Dispute Sparks Fresh Tensions
Hamas said it had returned the body of a hostage on Monday, the 16th of 28 agreed under the deal.
But Israeli forensic teams later determined that the remains belonged to Ofir Tzarfati, a young man abducted and killed during the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault, whose body had already been recovered nearly two years earlier.
Netanyahu’s office described the incident as a “clear violation” of the agreement. “Identification procedures revealed the latest remains belonged to the fallen hostage Ofir Tzarfati, who had been returned from the Gaza Strip in a military operation about two years ago,” it said.
Government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian accused Hamas of staging the discovery, alleging the group “dug a hole, placed the partial remains of Ofir inside, covered it, and handed it over to the Red Cross.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing relatives of captives, demanded a firm response from the government.
“The Israeli government cannot and must not ignore this. It must act decisively against these violations,” the group said.
‘Break Its Legs’
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for a full military response, writing on X, “It is time to break its legs once and for all.”
Hamas, however, denied knowing the location of all remaining bodies. Spokesperson Hazem Qassem told AFP that Israeli bombardments had made several areas unrecognisable.
“The movement is determined to hand over the bodies of Israeli captives as soon as possible once they are located,” he said.
Hamas also accused Israel of breaking the ceasefire, with Gaza’s health ministry claiming at least 94 people have been killed by Israeli fire since the truce began.
On the ground, Gaza resident Abdul-Hayy al-Hajj Ahmed, 60, voiced fears that fighting would soon resume.
“They accuse Hamas of stalling, and that is a pretext for renewed escalation and war,” he told AFP. “We want to rest. I believe the war will come back.”
Heavy Toll and Lingering Grief
The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack left 1,221 people dead in Israel, mostly civilians, according to official figures.
Israel’s subsequent offensive on Gaza has killed at least 68,531 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered credible by the United Nations.
Despite the ceasefire, the death toll continues to rise as more bodies are recovered from the rubble.
Tzarfati’s case underscores the emotional toll of the prolonged conflict. His family said this was the third time remains identified as his had been returned.
“This is the third time we have been forced to open Ofir’s grave and rebury our son,” the family said through the hostages’ forum. “The circle supposedly closed back in December 2023, but it never truly closes.”
