Netanyahu orders "powerful" strikes in Gaza as ceasefire breaks down

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered immediate strikes in Gaza following what Israel claims was a Hamas attack on its forces in Rafah. This escalation threatens the fragile ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration. The White House had been working to stabilize the truce and urged both sides to avoid actions that could derail it. Tensions increased due to disputes over Hamas returning deceased hostages and the Rafah incident. Israel reported Hamas militants fired on its forces, while Hamas denied involvement and accused Israel of violating the ceasefire. Hamas's military wing stated it would postpone the handover of a deceased hostage following the strikes. They also called for mediators to pressure Israel to de-escalate. Prior to the Rafah incident, Netanyahu had considered military action over alleged Hamas violations regarding hostage remains. Israeli officials suggested Netanyahu sought Trump's approval for a response, though it is unclear if they spoke. Israel claims Hamas is delaying the return of 13 hostage remains. Trump had previously warned Hamas to return bodies quickly or face consequences. Hamas did return some remains, but Israel stated it was only body parts recovered previously. An Israeli military video purportedly shows Hamas staging the discovery of a hostage body, which Israel views as a violation and a mockery. However, senior Trump administration officials did not consider it a material breach and advised against drastic measures. Following a meeting with military leaders, Netanyahu announced the strikes after another announcement by Hamas about finding another hostage body. Hamas then stated it would not return the body as planned.