October 21, 2025 | 02:18 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed to the parliament last Sunday that his forces had dropped 153 tons, approximately 337,000 pounds, of bombs on Gaza, despite a ceasefire agreement being in place with Hamas, as reported by Middle East Eye.
He framed the action as part of a military operation responding to attacks by Hamas, a statement widely interpreted as an acknowledgment of the breach of the US-brokered ceasefire.
"One of our hands holds a weapon, the other hand is stretched out for peace. You make peace with the strong, not the weak. Today Israel is stronger than ever before," Netanyahu said before the parliament members.
Speaking at the opening of the winter session of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, Netanyahu was repeatedly interrupted by opposition legislators protesting against his government's policies and alleged deliberate efforts to prolong Israel's campaign in Gaza.
He defended the delay in reaching a ceasefire, claiming that Hamas was not ready for such an agreement in previous periods. Netanyahu reiterated the ongoing efforts to free hostages, calling it a sacred mission.
The Gaza government media office reported 80 ceasefire violations by Israel since the US-brokered agreement came into effect on Friday, October 10.
These alleged violations resulted in 97 Palestinian deaths, including 45 on just last Sunday, and left 230 others injured.
Israel claimed the attacks were in retaliation for a Hamas strike on its forces in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. However, the Palestinian group denied the allegations and reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas confirmed it had released 20 live hostages and was working to deliver the bodies of others. According to the Israeli Prime Minister's office, the Red Cross received the body of a 13th hostage from Hamas on Monday, October 20, and handed it over to the Israeli military.
Israel had previously threatened to halt the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza before eventually declaring a resumption of the ceasefire.
Civilian Casualties Continue to Rise
Israel continued to bombard Gaza with airstrikes and gunfire despite the ceasefire with Hamas being in place since October 10.
As reported by Al Jazeera, four Palestinians were killed in two separate Israeli gunfire attacks as they attempted to return to their homes in the al-Shaaf area, east of Tuffah, Gaza City.
The Israeli military also claimed to have shot militants crossing the "yellow line" in the Shujayea area, bordering Tuffah, who were allegedly threatening their forces. The yellow line is a demarcation boundary set on the map distributed by US President Donald Trump on October 4, indicating the Israeli forces' withdrawal position under the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
However, for the people of Gaza, the boundary is difficult to recognize. "The whole area is in ruins. We saw the maps but we can’t tell where those lines are," Samir, a 50-year-old resident of Tuffah, told Al Jazeera.
Since the ceasefire began, the violence has not completely ceased, with Gaza health authorities reporting approximately 97 Palestinians killed. On Sunday, October 19, Israeli airstrikes killed 42 people, including children. Israel referred to the attack as a response to Hamas fighters' ceasefire violation in Rafah, which allegedly killed two of its soldiers.
Hamas, however, denied the allegations, stating they had no contact with any unit still in the Israeli-controlled area of Rafah and reiterated their lack of responsibility for any incidents there.
Since October 2023, Israel's genocide has killed more than 68,200 Palestinian residents, predominantly women and children, and injured over 170,200 others, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Editor's Choice: Israel Kills 97 Palestinians in Gaza Despite Ceasefire
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