Israel resuming ceasefire after strikes in Gaza kill 104 : NPR

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel’s army stated Wednesday that the ceasefire was again on in Gaza after it carried out heavy airstrikes in a single day throughout the Palestinian territory that killed 104 individuals, together with 46 kids, in line with native well being officers.

The strikes — the deadliest because the ceasefire started on Oct. 10 — marked essentially the most critical problem to the tenuous truce so far.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he had ordered the strikes after accusing Hamas of violating the ceasefire for handing over physique components this week that Israel stated have been partial stays of a hostage recovered earlier within the warfare. That was compounded by the capturing and killing an Israeli soldier throughout an change of gunfire in Rafah, the southernmost metropolis in Gaza.

U.S. President Donald Trump, on a visit to Asia, defended the strikes, saying Israel was justified in carrying them out after Hamas killed the Israeli soldier, who additionally held U.S. citizenship.

Hamas denied any involvement within the lethal capturing and in flip accused Israel of “a blatant violation of the ceasefire deal.” It additionally stated it might delay handing over the physique of one other hostage to Israel due to the strikes.

Buying and selling accusations

Netanyahu referred to as the return Monday of physique components a “clear violation” of the ceasefire settlement, which requires Hamas to return all of the stays of hostages in Gaza as quickly as doable. Israeli officers additionally accused Hamas of staging the invention of a few of the stays on Monday, sharing a 14-minute, edited video from a army drone in Gaza.

Israel’s International Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein stated Hamas was accountable for the results of its ceasefire violation and attributed the excessive dying toll from the strikes to the militant group utilizing civilians as human shields.

Marmorstein stated Washington was knowledgeable concerning the strikes and that they have been carried out in full coordination with america.

Hamas has stated it’s struggling to find our bodies of the hostages amid the huge destruction in Gaza, whereas Israel has accused the militant group of purposely delaying their return.

There are nonetheless 13 our bodies of hostages in Gaza and their gradual return is complicating efforts to proceed to the ceasefire’s subsequent phases, which addresses even thornier points, together with the disarmament of Hamas, deployment of a world safety power in Gaza and deciding who will govern the territory.

Marmorstein stated Hamas was “attempting to do every thing doable to keep away from” disarming.

Mounting dying toll

The Palestinian Well being Ministry reported the general dying toll of 104 from the in a single day strikes and stated that 253 individuals have been additionally wounded, most of them ladies and kids. It stated the lifeless embrace 46 kids.

Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis, stated 45 individuals — together with 20 kids — have been in crucial situation on the hospital. He stated the hospital obtained extra 21 our bodies, together with seven ladies and 6 kids.

First, the Aqsa Hospital in Gaza’s central metropolis of Deir al-Balah reported a minimum of 10 our bodies, amongst them three ladies and 6 kids. In southern Gaza, the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis stated it obtained 20 our bodies after 5 Israeli strikes within the space, of which 13 have been kids and two have been ladies.

Elsewhere in central Gaza, the Al-Awda Hospital stated it obtained 30 our bodies, together with 14 kids.

Trump defends Israel

Trump informed journalists aboard Air Power One on Wednesday that Israel “ought to hit again” when its troops come underneath assault.

However he stated he is nonetheless assured the ceasefire would stand up to the escalation in violence as a result of “Hamas is a really small a part of the general Center East peace. And so they must behave.”

If not, they are going to be “terminated,” Trump added.

An Israeli army official stated Wednesday that the soldier in Rafah — recognized as Grasp Sgt. Yona Efraim Feldbaum, 37 — was killed by “enemy hearth” that focused his car on Tuesday.

The official, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate confidential army operations, stated Israeli troops within the space got here underneath assault quite a few instances on Tuesday as they labored to destroy tunnels and Hamas infrastructure.

Hamas insisted it was not concerned within the Rafah gunfire, reiterated its dedication to the ceasefire and referred to as on mediators to strain Israel to cease.

The Israeli army stated its forces struck “30 terrorists holding command positions inside terrorist organizations” working contained in the Palestinian territory. It stated Israeli forces would proceed to uphold the ceasefire however would “reply firmly” to any violation of the deal.

Funeral prayers at Gaza hospitals

Ambulances and small vans carrying our bodies crowded hospital entrances in a single day throughout Gaza. In Deir Al-Balah, our bodies have been wheeled in on stretchers, and others carried in on mattresses. One man walked into the hospital carrying the physique of a younger little one.

“They struck proper subsequent to us, and we noticed all of the rubble on high of us and our younger ones,” stated a girl standing outdoors of the hospital.

At daybreak, displaced Palestinians on the camp cleared stays of a destroyed tent subsequent to a crater the place the strike hit. They discovered the physique of a small little one and wrapped it in a blanket.

“What sort of a ceasefire is that this?” Amna Qrinawi stated.

On the Al-Awda Hospital, scores of individuals gathered round dozens of our bodies wrapped in white shrouds for funeral prayers. Relations wept as they bade farewell to their family members.

Yehya Eid, who stated he misplaced his brother and nephews, wept over a small physique in a bloodied white shroud outdoors the hospital. He stated the strike got here with out warning.

“These are kids who have been killed. What did they do improper? Did they battle within the warfare?” Eid requested.

Funeral prayers have been additionally held outdoors Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

“These are massacres,” stated Haneen Mteir, who misplaced her sister and nephews. “They burned kids whereas they have been asleep.”

Najwa Erian stated she was fortunate her kids survived when their constructing collapsed in one of many strikes.

“It was because of the younger males from the neighborhood who all got here to examine on us and have been in a position to save the kids,” she stated.