Israel-Gaza latest: Trump backs Netanyahu’s order to ‘retaliate’ on Hamas with 26 dead

US Vice President JD Vance said the ceasefire still holds despite Israel’s attacks on Gaza on Tuesday.

“The ceasefire continues. It does not mean that there will not be small skirmishes here and there,” he told reporters.

“We know that Hamas or someone else within Gaza attacked an (Israeli army) soldier.

“We expect the Israelis to respond, but I think the president will remain calm regardless.”

Military officials accused Hamas of firing on Israeli troops on Tuesday, leading to the attack.

Hamas has denied any involvement.

The Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said that Hamas “will pay a heavy price” for attacking IDF troops in Rafah on Tuesday and “violating the agreement to return fallen hostages.”

“The attack on IDF soldiers in Gaza today by the Hamas terrorist organization crosses a bright red line to which the IDF will respond with great force.

“Hamas will pay with compound interest for violating the agreement by attacking troops and returning murdered hostages,” says Katz.

Hamas said it had no connection with the attack.

An Israeli military official said Israeli troops retaliated after the shooting in the southern city of Rafah.

US President Donald Trump said this morning that the Gaza ceasefire is not in jeopardy after deadly Israeli strikes in Gaza that local officials said killed at least 26 people.

Mr Trump said in South Korea that “nothing is going to jeopardize” the ceasefire in Gaza.

He said, “They came out, they killed an Israeli soldier, so the Israelis retaliated and they should retaliate. When that happens, they should retaliate.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to launch “powerful” strikes on Gaza shortly after Israeli officials accused Hamas of violating a ceasefire agreement.

Earlier today, Israel said Hamas fired on troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is under Israeli control. Hamas has denied any connection with the attack.

Netanyahu also accused Hamas of violating the agreement by returning additional remains of hostage Ofir Tzarfati, which had already been recovered and buried in 2023.

At least 19 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to local health officials.

The dead included four people killed in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City and five killed in a car in Khan Yunis.

Israel attacked Gaza on Tuesday evening after accusing Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement.

Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his forces to attack shortly after Israeli officials condemned Hamas for firing on troops in southern Gaza. Hamas has denied any involvement.

The attacks also come after Hamas handed over additional remains of a hostage expected to be returned in 2023.

At least nine people have been killed in the attacks, including four in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood and five in a car targeted in Khan Yunis.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has condemned Hamas for allegedly dramatizing the recovery of a hostage’s body after Israel released footage it claimed showed Hamas burying the body in the ground before calling in ICRC teams.

The ICRC said it was “not aware that a dead person had been placed there before their arrival, as seen in the footage”.

A statement said: “Our role as neutral arbitrators does not include exhuming the bodies of the deceased. Our team only observed without prior knowledge of the circumstances under which the remains were recovered.

“It is unacceptable that a sham recovery was staged, when so much depends on this agreement remaining intact and when so many families are still anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.”

Hamas has described the allegations as “baseless”.

The death toll has risen to nine, according to local Palestinian health officials.

The dead included four people from the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City and five people traveling in a car targeted in Khan Yunis.