The fragile ceasefire in Gaza suffered fresh tension late Wednesday after Israel confirmed it carried out an airstrike in southern Gaza in retaliation for an attack earlier in the day that injured five Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli Defence Forces said the strike targeted a Hamas militant in Khan Younis, prompting immediate condemnation from Hamas, which accused Israel of violating the truce.
Despite largely holding since early October, the ceasefire has repeatedly been tested with claims of breaches from both sides.
Earlier Wednesday, Israel announced the recovery of what may be the remains of one of the last two hostages still believed to be in Gaza, a development crucial to the next phase of the U.S.-backed ceasefire framework.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hamas fighters emerged from a tunnel and attacked Israeli forces in a zone under their control, calling it a “clear violation” of the ceasefire terms.
Israel has cited similar violations before previous military responses. Local health officials say Israeli strikes in late October and November killed 104 and 33 Palestinians, respectively.
Hostage Remains Returned Amid Uncertainty
The remains transferred to Israel on Wednesday are undergoing forensic examination.
Remains handed over a day earlier were determined not to belong to either of the two remaining hostages — Israeli police officer Ran Gvili and Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak.
Both were taken captive during the October 7, 202,3, attack that triggered the war. Gvili was killed while helping rescue civilians from the Nova music festival, while Rinthalak worked at Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the communities devastated that day.
A total of 31 Thai nationals were abducted — the largest foreign hostage group — and most have since been released. Forty-six Thai citizens have been killed in the conflict.
The return of the remaining bodies is a core requirement for progressing to the second phase of the ceasefire, which includes creating an international stabilisation presence, forming a technocratic Palestinian government, and moving forward toward disarming Hamas.
In exchange for the remains and live hostages, Israel has been releasing Palestinian prisoners.
Opening Rafah Crossing Remains Contentious
Israel announced Wednesday that Palestinians will soon be allowed to exit Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt, but the timeline remains unclear.
The World Health Organisation says more than 16,500 severely wounded and ill Palestinians urgently require evacuation.
Egypt, however, has insisted that the crossing can only open if Palestinians are also permitted to come back.
Israel has refused, saying re-entry will only be allowed once all remaining hostages’ bodies are returned.
Egypt fears that Israel may use border restrictions to permanently displace Gazans and erase the Palestinian cause.
Over 100,000 Palestinians who fled after the war began are already sheltering in Egypt.
The Rafah crossing, closed since Israel’s May 2024 military operation, was briefly reopened in February 2025 for medical evacuations.
Palestinian Fatality in Gaza City
In Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood, a 46-year-old Palestinian man was shot and killed by Israeli forces, according to Al-Ahli Hospital.
The hospital stated that the man was inside an area designated as a humanitarian “safe zone.” Israel has not yet commented.
Health authorities say more than 360 Palestinians have died since the ceasefire took effect on October 11.
Ceasefire Aims to Wind Down Devastating War
Since October, 20 live hostages and the remains of 26 others have been returned to Israel. Under the current exchange structure, Israel returns 15 Palestinian bodies for each hostage or set of remains.
Gaza health officials say they have received 330 bodies, though identification is hindered by limited DNA testing capacity.
The war began after Hamas-led militants killed roughly 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251 people during the October 7 attack. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports more than 70,100 Palestinians killed, about half of whom are women and children.
Although the ministry operates under Hamas authority, international organisations generally regard its casualty data as reliable.
As diplomatic pressure builds to solidify peace, the coming days will determine whether the ceasefire survives or collapses under renewed violence and political deadlock.
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