Israel Resumes Airstrikes in Gaza Despite Announced Ceasefire, Killing Two

GAZA CITY: Israel launched fresh airstrikes in northern Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least two people just hours after declaring the resumption of a fragile ceasefire. The renewed assault follows days of intense bombardments that left more than 100 Palestinians dead earlier this week.

According to officials at al-Shifa Hospital, Israeli warplanes struck Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, killing two civilians. The Israeli military claimed the target was a “weapons storage site” that posed an “immediate threat” to its forces.

The new attacks came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “powerful retaliatory strikes” in southern Gaza’s Rafah area, following the reported death of an Israeli soldier. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that those strikes killed at least 104 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Israel later said the operation eliminated senior Hamas fighters and announced that it would “resume” the ceasefire from mid-Wednesday.

International condemnation

The United Nations and several world leaders have condemned Israel’s renewed air campaign. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, through his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, said he “strongly condemns the killings of civilians in Gaza,” noting that many victims were children.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk described the attacks as “appalling,” warning that both sides risk letting peace “slip from our grasp.” Leaders from the UK, Germany, and the European Union also urged Israel and Hamas to recommit to the ceasefire and protect civilians.

Voices from Gaza

In Gaza, residents described the strikes as devastating. “A brief hope for calm turned into despair,” said Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City. “For many, it felt like a return to the early days of the genocide.”

Khadija al-Husni, a displaced mother sheltering in Shati refugee camp, said her family had only just started feeling safe again. “We had just begun to rebuild our lives,” she said.

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Hamas denies involvement

Hamas denied its fighters were involved in the Rafah incident that killed an Israeli soldier and reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire. The group said it would delay transferring the remains of a deceased captive in response to Israel’s continued violations.

Meanwhile, Israel has barred Red Cross representatives from visiting Palestinian prisoners, claiming security concerns. Hamas condemned the move as a breach of international law and accused Israel of “systematic abuse,” including torture and deprivation.

Calls for prisoner release

The Elders, a group of former world leaders, renewed calls for the release of imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti. Hamas included his name in its latest prisoner exchange list, but Israel has rejected his release.

Barghouti, often described as the “Palestinian Nelson Mandela,” remains a powerful symbol of resistance and unity amid the region’s deepening humanitarian crisis.