Israel kills 90 Palestinians in night of heavy of air strikes across Gaza

The Israeli military killed more than 90 Palestinians, including 24 children, in overnight air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday and Wednesday, in the latest violation of the ceasefire.

Air strikes pummelled Gaza City, Khan Younis, and refugee camps in central Gaza, hitting homes, tents, and the courtyard of a hospital.

Medics said the death toll is expected to rise, as many of the wounded are in critical condition and others are believed to still be trapped under the rubble.

After nearly 12 hours of heavy bombing, the Israeli military announced it was reimposing the ceasefire as of 10 am local time (8 am GMT).

Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire, citing an alleged attack on troops in Rafah on Tuesday that left one soldier dead, and delays in handing over the bodies of dead captives.

Hamas denied any involvement in the Rafah shooting. The group has also said the delay in returning the bodies was due to a lack of equipment needed to retrieve them - a logistical challenge, it said, that was known to both Israel and the United States before the ceasefire was agreed earlier this month.

US President Donald Trump gave Israel political cover for the attack, saying it had “the right to retaliate,” and warning that Hamas could be “eliminated” if it fails to comply with the ceasefire.

He added that the US-brokered truce is “not under threat.”

As of Tuesday morning, Israel had committed at least 125 violations of the ceasefire agreement since 11 October, according to the Gaza-based Government Media Office.

The violations have left more than 180 people dead and over 300 wounded.

Israel has also continued to restrict the entry of aid and has kept the Rafah crossing with Egypt closed, in violation of the deal’s terms.