Aboard Air Force One (TDI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday insisted that “nothing” would disrupt the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza, despite Israeli airstrikes on the territory.
The strikes, which Israel claimed were a response to Hamas violating the truce, have resulted in significant casualties, including at least 50 people killed and around 200 others injured, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency.
The agency’s spokesman, Mahmud Bassal, confirmed that the victims included 22 children, with the situation described as “catastrophic and terrifying.” In response, Trump defended Israel’s actions, stating that Israel had the right to retaliate after the killing of an Israeli soldier. “They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back. And they should hit back,” he said during a flight on Air Force One as part of his Asian tour.
Despite the violence, US Vice President JD Vance emphasized that the ceasefire was still holding, even amid the “skirmishes.” He expressed confidence that the peace agreement would hold despite ongoing tensions.
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Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “powerful strikes” on Gaza after accusations that Hamas had attacked Israeli troops in the enclave. While Hamas denied the accusation, claiming no involvement in a specific attack on Israeli soldiers, the Israeli military confirmed the death of one soldier in southern Gaza.
In addition to the recent airstrikes, at least three separate bombings targeted various locations, including Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital and the Nuseirat refugee camp, where several bodies, including those of four children, were recovered. Hamas also announced a delay in handing over the body of a hostage, citing the ongoing Israeli escalation.
The issue of returning deceased hostages remains a major point of contention, with Israel accusing Hamas of failing to honor its commitments. Hamas countered by stating that the damage caused by Israel’s military campaign had made locating the bodies extremely difficult. The group also stressed that it remained committed to returning all hostages, living or deceased, as soon as they were located.
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The stalemate over the remaining hostages has fueled growing tensions between the two sides, with Israeli officials accusing Hamas of staging the return of a partial body. Hamas, in turn, rejected these claims and accused Israel of using the issue as a pretext for renewed military escalation.
