US Politics
Donald Trump defends Israeli airstrikes that ‘killed 60’ in Gaza, shaking fragile ceasefire
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Donald Trump has insisted the US-backed ceasefire in Gaza is not at risk despite Israeli strikes overnight killing more than 100 people, according to health officials.
The president told reporters on Wednesday that Israel was justified in carrying out the strikes on Tuesday after Hamas allegedly killed an Israeli soldier during an exchange of gunfire in Gaza’s Rafah.
“As I understand it, they took out an Israeli soldier,” he said aboard Air Force One. “So the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit back.”
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Trump insisted that nothing was going to jeopardise the ceasefire, which has been shaken in recent days by fresh strikes in Gaza, the delayed return of hostage remains and blockages to the delivery of humanitarian aid. Gaza’s health ministry said Tuesday’s strikes had killed 104 people.
An Israeli military official said on Wednesday that their soldier was killed by “enemy fire” on Tuesday afternoon, targeting his vehicle in Rafah. The official said Israeli troops in the area came under attack numerous times on Tuesday as they worked to destroy tunnels and Hamas infrastructure.
Israel identified the soldier who was killed as Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum, 37.
Hamas denied any involvement in the deadly shooting and, in turn, accused Israel of violating the ceasefire deal.
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“The violent strikes carried out by Israel across the strip [are] a blatant violation of the ceasefire deal,” it said, calling on mediators to pressure Israel to stop.
The IDF said early on Wednesday that “following strikes”, it had “begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire in response to Hamas’ violations”. It said that Israeli forces had struck “30 terrorists holding command positions within the terrorist organisations operating in Gaza”.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered the military to conduct “powerful strikes” over Gaza after his office said a coffin handed over by Hamas did not contain the remains of an additional hostage, but Ofir Tzarfati, whose body was recovered in 2023.
The IDF shared footage it said showed Hamas operatives removing remains from a building and reburying them nearby to “stage a false ‘discovery’ for photographers”.
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Hamas said that it would postpone a planned handover of another dead hostage due to what it called “violations” of the ceasefire agreement by Israel.
Israel notified the United States before launching the strikes on Tuesday, according to two US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject.
The Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah said that at least 10 bodies, including three women and six children, reached the hospital overnight following air strikes in the region.
The Al-Awda Hospital, also in central Gaza, said it had received 30 bodies, including 14 children.
Nasser Hospital, in the south, said that it had received 20 bodies, including two women and 13 children, following five strikes in the area.
