Background and Key Players
The recent escalation in Gaza has drawn international attention, with Israel accusing Hamas of attacking its soldiers. This incident occurred despite an ongoing ceasefire, which was established on October 10th. The United States Vice President, JD Vance, confirmed that the ceasefire remains in place despite “skirmishes.”
Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, denies any involvement in the attack on Israeli troops. The group has previously accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and postponed the handover of another captive’s body. The tension between Israel and Hamas was already tested on October 19th, with both sides accusing each other of breaching the truce.
The Attack and Response
On Tuesday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered immediate bombardment in Gaza, according to a statement from his office. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted these strikes in coordination with the United States, under President Trump’s direction.
Israel accuses Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement after the group returned the remains of captive Ofir Tzarfati, whose partial body had already been recovered by the IDF. As per the initial phase of the ceasefire deal, Hamas was supposed to release 20 live captives and 28 deceased captives’ bodies by October 13th. However, they only returned 15 bodies, citing difficulties in locating them amidst the devastation caused by Israel’s retaliatory offensive following the October 7th attack.
The Remains of Captives and Families’ Plight
According to the Parents’ Forum, an Israeli organization advocating for captives’ return, parts of Tzarfati’s remains were repatriated in late 2023 and early 2024 before burial in Israel. His family has had to reopen his grave and reburial him three times due to these delays.
The Parents’ Forum urged Netanyahu’s government to “take firm action” against Hamas for its ceasefire violations. Far-right Minister of Internal Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, stated that Hamas’s continued delay in surrendering all captives proves their “strength.” He emphasized that it is time to “break Hamas’s legs once and for all.”
International Involvement and Threats
Hamas’s spokesperson, Hazem Qasem, informed AFP that the group is committed to delivering the remaining captives’ bodies as soon as they are located, acknowledging the complexity of retrieving them in a war-torn territory.
The United States, an ally of Israel, has threatened to obliterate Hamas if it fails to fulfill its commitment of surrendering all captives. The October 7th attack in Israel resulted in the death of over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza led to approximately 68,531 deaths, mostly civilians, as reported by Hamas’ Health Ministry.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is involved in the conflict? The primary parties are Israel and Hamas, with Israel accusing Hamas of attacking its soldiers and Hamas denying any involvement.
- What is the current status of the ceasefire? Despite “skirmishes,” the ceasefire remains in effect, as confirmed by US Vice President JD Vance.
- What are the key demands of the ceasefire agreement? Hamas was supposed to release 20 live captives and 28 deceased captives’ bodies by October 13th. However, they only returned 15 bodies, citing difficulties in locating them.
- How have families of captives been affected? Families of captives, like Ofir Tzarfati, have had to reopen and reburial their loved ones’ graves multiple times due to delays in the return of remains.
- What role does the international community play? The United States, an ally of Israel, has threatened severe consequences for Hamas if it fails to comply with the ceasefire terms.
