'Will respond firmly to any violation': Israel restores ceasefire with Hamas after killing over 100 in Gaza, issues warning

A day after its airstrikes killed over 100 people in Gaza, the Israeli military said that it will abide by the US-brokered ceasefire with Hamas. Following the reported killing of an Israeli soldier in southern Gaza’s Rafah on Tuesday, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “powerful strikes” on Gaza. The US defended Israeli action and expressed confidence that ceasefire will hold. Meanwhile, Hamas paused the hostage transfer citing breach of the truce. Regional mediator Qatar expressed frustration over the developments but urged parties to follow the deal.

“In accordance with the directive of the political echelon, and following a series of strikes, in which dozens of terror targets and terrorists were struck, the IDF has begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire after Hamas violated it,” the military said in a statement. “The IDF will continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement and will respond firmly to any violation of it,” it added.

Read More | ‘Israelis should hit back because…’: Trump breaks silence after Gaza airstrikes, says THIS about ceasefire with Hamas

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump, aboard Air Force One while flying to South Korea, issued his first response on the broken ceasefire between Hamas and Israel that he brokered weeks ago. Dismissing any possibility of resumption of war, Trump said that “nothing would jeopardise ceasefire” in Gaza. However, he backed Israel's right to hit back. Trump said, “They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back. And they should hit back.”

Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance expressed confidence that ceasefire will hold. Calling the latest attack by Israel and rising tensions with Hamas as “little skirmishes,” Vance said that Trump's peace is still holding. "The ceasefire is holding. That doesn't mean that there aren't going to be little skirmishes here and there," Vance said. Speaking to reporters, Vance added that Hamas or “somebody else” attacked an Israeli soldier, due to which Tel Aviv was responding.