LIVE: Israel’s PM Netanyahu orders ‘powerful, immediate’ attacks on Gaza

Tuesday, 28 Oct 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to carry out “powerful” attacks in Gaza, his office says.

It comes after Netanyahu alleged Hamas committed a “clear violation” of the ceasefire deal. For its part, Gaza’s Government Media Office accused Israel of committing 125 violations of the ceasefire since it came into effect on October 10, including killing 94 Palestinians.

The sound of explosions and drones continues across Gaza despite the ceasefire: “It’s just a constant reminder of how fragile this ceasefire is,” Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reports from Gaza City.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 68,527 people and wounded 170,395 since it began in October 2023. A total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks and about 200 taken captive.

What led to Israel’s decision to attack Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed his military to immediately break the ceasefire and carry out attacks on Gaza.

The following are today’s events that led to the order:

Reports emerged an hour ago of heavy gunfire and explosions in Rafah, southern Gaza. The circumstances of the fighting remains unclear.

Israel accused Hamas of misidentifying the most recently returned captive’s remains, which were of an abductee whose body was recovered two years ago.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’s deciding on next steps after Hamas returned the remains of a previously recovered captive.

Israel also accused Hamas of “staging” the return of bodies, claiming drone footage shows Hamas moving and reburying  remains for the Red Cross to witness.

Meanwhile, Hamas claimed Israel is obstructing efforts to recover the bodies of deceased Israeli captives, saying it blocked heavy machinery from entering Gaza and prevented search teams – including Red Cross personnel – from accessing key areas.

While the sides traded barbs, Hamas said it would return the body of another Israeli captive at 8pm local time (18:00 GMT) after it was discovered inside a tunnel in Gaza – which was postponed later after Netanyahu’s announcement of an imminent “powerful” strike.

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