Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to take action following Hamas’s breach of a ceasefire agreement, specifically regarding the misidentification of a body released by the group. The body was not that of Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother kidnapped alongside her sons, as earlier stated by Hamas, leading to heightened tensions over the ceasefire, which has temporarily halted fighting after 15 months. Despite the uproar, Hamas is poised to release six living Israeli hostages as part of the next stage of the agreement, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas cited potential confusion due to an Israeli airstrike in the region, stating they would conduct a review of the incident. Concurrently, US President Donald Trump has distanced himself from a controversial plan to reconfigure Gaza into a tourist spot, amid widespread Palestinian and Arab opposition.
In a response to Netanyahu’s call for retribution, the aunt of the Bibas children expressed the family’s desire for her niece’s return rather than vengeance, highlighting the emotional gravity of the situation. The ongoing conflict has seen significant casualties, with around 48,000 Palestinians reportedly killed since the start of the offensive, raising concerns about both humanitarian conditions and the uncertain future of the ceasefire agreement.