On Oct. 28, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army to launch immediate heavy attacks on the Gaza Strip, citing Hamas‑initiated breaches of the ceasefire.
Netanyahu Orders Immediate Heavy Attacks in Gaza
On Oct. 28, the prime minister’s official X account announced that Netanyahu, after security consultations, ordered the Israeli army to conduct immediate heavy attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Israel Targets Hamas Infrastructure in Southern Gaza
Israeli authorities said they struck Hamas infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip as retaliation for a Hamas missile strike that fired an anti‑tank projectile at Israeli soldiers in Rafah.
Ceasefire Breach Claims and Escalation Warning
Israel asserts that the Hamas attack violated the ceasefire that began on Oct. 10 and warned that the response to the current violations would be far harsher than the last time.
Dispute Over Release of Hostage Bodies
Israel claims Hamas is breaching the ceasefire by delaying the release of the bodies of 28 Israeli hostages; several bodies remain unreturned, while Hamas cites unknown burial sites as the reason for the delay.
Hostage and Prisoner Exchanges Under the Ceasefire
Under the ceasefire, Hamas has released all 20 living hostages held in Gaza, while Israel has released 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life and over 1,700 Gaza residents taken after the war began in Oct. 2023.