Gaza ceasefire tested as Israel launches strikes after it says Hamas attacked soldiers

Amna Nawaz:

Today in Gaza, the latest test of a tenuous cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered what he called powerful strikes in Gaza after Israel said Hamas shot at Israeli soldiers in the south of the territory.

Nick Schifrin is here following all of this with the latest.

So, Nick, bring us up to speed.

Nick Schifrin:

Israel is striking Gaza, and Palestinians in Gaza are reporting heavy airstrikes and tank fire. And, as you said, Israel says it's in response to an incident in Southern Gaza near Rafah where Hamas fighters used sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades to target Israeli troops inside the yellow line.

That is where Israel is deployed inside Gaza. An Israeli official tells me tonight that Netanyahu briefed President Trump before the strikes. And a U.S. military official confirms to me that the IDF reached out to the U.S. military before these strikes began.

As you said, Netanyahu called them powerful. An Israeli military official told me today — quote — Hamas is — quote — "treating everyone like idiots, and there's only one language they understand, power."

But a U.S. official tells me tonight that actually these airstrikes were — quote — "targeted," that Israel signaled that they would launch airstrikes hours ahead of time, and that that suggests that Israel is listening to U.S. pressure to hold this cease-fire.

Separate U.S. officials described to me that last week during their visit, Ambassador Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner backed up Israel's right to defend itself, but they pushed Netanyahu to keep responses proportionate.

A U.S. official warns to me tonight they are still worried that Israel is trying to look for an excuse to — quote — "level the place," as in level Gaza, restart the war. So the U.S. is trying to prevent that, make sure the cease-fire holds.

As for Hamas, they say they long ago lost any contact with those fighters in Southern Gaza.

Amna Nawaz:

So those Israeli strikes in response to what they say was the first violation, they claim, of that cease-fire. They're saying there was a second violation too related to the bodies of deceased hostages? What's going on there?

Nick Schifrin:

Yes, so, overnight, Hamas transferred the remains of a body that Israel says it already partially recovered earlier in the war.

And Israel calls that a major violation because they're still waiting for the bodies of 13 deceased hostages that are still in Gaza. But Israeli officials tonight are also pointing to this video that they're posting online today, which appears to show Hamas fighters removing a body in the very left corner of the screen right there, removing a body of a deceased hostage from a house so that they could bury it.

You see that right there. They then a few minutes later move that body with a bulldozer. And then watch this. They pretend that they had just discovered it to hand it over to the Red Cross and then Israel. Israeli officials have been livid about this, with one telling me — quote — "They're making a joke out of the Red Cross and us, and it's proof Hamas knows where all the deceased hostages are and therefore proof Hamas is slow-rolling their return."

But, again, a U.S. official tells me Hamas actually only knows where half the bodies are. There are many deceased hostage bodies buried under the rubble in Gaza and that while Hamas must make a good-faith effort to make haste and return those bodies, Israel must exhibit — quote — "patience."

So, another sign the U.S. wants to restrain Israel or at least make sure that the cease-fire takes hold. Very tenuous. And this is all before, Amna, as we talked about, phase two of the deal, where Hamas has not agreed to disarm, and no single country has actually agreed to send foreign troops into Gaza yet.

Amna Nawaz:

Tenuous, indeed.

Nick Schifrin, thank you, as always.

Nick Schifrin:

Thank you.