Donald Trump has backed Israel’s deadly strikes in Gaza that have killed at least 26 people, saying it has the right to “hit back” against Hamas.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had ordered immediate “powerful attacks” after claiming Hamas had attacked Israeli forces in an area of the enclave under Israeli control.
At least 26 people were killed in the Israeli strikes, including four in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood and five in a car targeted in Khan Younis, health authorities said. Trump, who has arrived in South Korea, insisted the fragile US-brokered ceasefire remained in tact and that "nothing is going to jeopardise" it.
He defended Netanyahu's actions, saying: "They took out, they killed an Israeli soldier, so the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit back," he added.
Trump warned: “If Hamas does not behave, they will be terminated.”
Key points
- Trump says Israel has right to 'hit back' after Netanyahu's forces kill 26 in Gaza
- At least 19 Palestinians killed in strikes
- Red Cross says it's 'unacceptable' that fake recovery was staged by Hamas
- Hamas will 'pay a heavy price', says Israeli defence minister
- Explosions seen over Gaza night sky, after Netanyahu said he ordered 'powerful strikes'
'IDF will respond' to Hamas with great force, says defence minister
03:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said Hamas “will pay a heavy price” for attacking IDF soldiers in Rafah on Tuesday, and for “violating the agreement to return the fallen hostages.”
"The attack on IDF soldiers in Gaza today by the Hamas terrorist organisation is crossing a bright red line to which the IDF will respond with great force.
"Hamas will pay with compound interest for attacking the soldiers and violating the agreement to return the fallen hostages," Katz says.
Hamas said it has no connection to the attack.
An Israeli military official said Israeli troops returned fire after being shot at in the southern city of Rafah.
Trump says Israel has right to 'hit back'
02:59
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US president Donald Trump said this morning that the Gaza ceasefire was not at risk of being jeopardised after deadly Israeli strikes in Gaza that local authorities said killed at least 26 people.
"Nothing is going to jeopardise" the ceasefire in Gaza, Mr Trump said in South Korea.
"They took out, they killed an Israeli soldier, so the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit back," he added.
Hamas accused of breaching ceasefire agreement
02:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered military to carry out “powerful” attacks on Gaza shortly after Israeli officials accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Earlier today, Israel said Hamas opened fire on troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is under Israeli control. Hamas has denied any connection to the attack.
Netanyahu also accused Hamas of breaching the deal after it returned the additional remains of hostage Ofir Tzarfati, who had already been recovered and buried in 2023.
Explosions seen over Gaza night sky, after Netanyahu said he ordered 'powerful strikes'
01:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Death toll reaches 19 in Gaza
00:08
,
Harriette Boucher
At least 19 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s strikes, according to local health authorities.
The death toll includes four people who were killed in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood and five in a car in Khan Younis.
In pictures: Dozens of Gazans injured as Israel launches airstrikes
00:04
,
Harriette Boucher
Recap: Israel launches attack on Gaza after accusing Hamas of breaching ceasefire
Tuesday 28 October 2025 23:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Israel launched an attack on Gaza on Tuesday evening after it accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire deal.
Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his military to carry out the strikes shortly after Israeli officials condemned Hamas for opening fire on troops in southern Gaza. Hamas has refuted having any involvement.
The attacks also come after Hamas handed over the additional remains of a hostage returned in 2023.
At least nine people have died in the strikes, including four in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood and five in a car targeted in Khan Younis.
Red Cross says it's 'unacceptable' that fake recovery was staged by Hamas
Tuesday 28 October 2025 22:24
,
Harriette Boucher
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has condemned Hamas for allegedly staging the recovery of a hostage’s body after Israel released footage that claims to show Hamas burying the body in the ground before calling in ICRC teams.
ICRC said it was "not aware that a deceased person had been placed there prior to their arrival, as seen in the footage”.
It added in a statement: "Our role as neutral intermediary does not include unearthing of the bodies of the deceased. Our team only observed what appeared to be the recovery of remains without prior knowledge of the circumstances leading up to it.
"It is unacceptable that a fake recovery was staged, when so much depends on this agreement being upheld and when so many families are still anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.”
Hamas has called the allegations “baseless”.
Death toll reaches nine
Tuesday 28 October 2025 21:56
,
Jane Dalton
The number of people killed has risen to nine, according to local Palestinian health authorities.
The toll included four people in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood and five in a car targeted in Khan Younis.
Hamas handed over coffin containing additional remains of hostage
Tuesday 28 October 2025 21:35
,
Harriette Boucher
Israel’s attack on Gaza comes a day after Hamas was meant to hand over a hostage, but instead returned a coffin containing the additional remains of a hostage returned in 2023.
Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas breached the ceasefire deal after it returned further remains of Ofir Tzarfati, a hostage who was recovered and buried in 2023.
Officials have accused the group of purposefully delaying the handover, but Hamas say the bodies are difficult to locate amid the rubble.
Hamas kidnapped Mr Tzarfati at the Nova music festival on 7 October 2023, and he later died in captivity.
In a statement, Mr Tzarfati's family said this was the third time "we have been forced to open Ofir's grave and rebury our son".
In pictures: Explosions seen over Gaza skyline after Netanyahu ordered ‘powerful strikes’
Tuesday 28 October 2025 21:10
,
Harriette Boucher
Hamas delays return of hostage amid strikes
Tuesday 28 October 2025 20:45
,
Harriette Boucher
Hamas delayed the hand over of another hostage on Tuesday after Israel revealed its plans to strike Gaza.
Hamas's armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced the postponement, citing what it said were Israel’s violations of the ceasefire.
The body was said to have been recovered from a tunnel on Tuesday.
A white body bag was witnessed being carried out from a tunnel by several men, including some masked militants in Khan Younis.
It was not immediately clear what was in the bag, which was then transported into an ambulance.
Israel has accused Hamas of intentionally putting the body in soil and excavating it.
Eight dead in strikes on Gaza
Tuesday 28 October 2025 20:25
,
Harriette Boucher
At least eight people have been killed in Israel’s strikes on Tuesday, according to local health authorities.
Three people are said to have died in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood and five people in a car which was targeted in Khan Younis.
Dozens are said to have been injured in airstrikes which have hit homes and a courtyard of Shifa Hospital, the largest operational hospital in northern Gaza, along with other areas in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis have also been struck.
JD Vance says the ceasefire is still holding as Israel attacks Gaza
Tuesday 28 October 2025 20:00
,
Harriette Boucher
US Vice President JD Vance said the ceasefire is still holding despite Israel’s attacks on Gaza on Tuesday.
"The ceasefire is holding. That doesn't mean that there aren't going to be little skirmishes here and there," he told reporters.
"We know that Hamas or somebody else within Gaza attacked an (Israeli military) soldier.
“We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the President's peace is going to hold despite that."
Military officials accused Hamas of opening fire on Israeli troops on Tuesday, which prompted its attack.
Hamas has denied any involvement.
Three Palestinians killed in attacks, according to Hamas's Civil Defence
Tuesday 28 October 2025 19:50
,
Harriette Boucher
Three Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Tuesday, a spokesman for Hamas’s Civil Defence told the BBC.
Dozens have reportedly been injured in a series of airstrikes that have hit homes and a courtyard of Shifa Hospital, the largest operational hospital in northern Gaza. Various other areas in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis have also been struck.
US was told about Israeli strikes beforehand, officials say
Tuesday 28 October 2025 19:19
,
Harriette Boucher
Israel notified the US before it launched its latest strikes on Gaza, two US officials told the Associated Press.
Donald Trump said on Saturday he would be watching Hamas’ return of the deceased hostages “very closely” over the following days.
He is yet to comment on Tuesday’s strikes.
Hamas denies attack on Israeli forces
Tuesday 28 October 2025 19:13
,
Harriette Boucher
Hamas has denied having any connection to the attack on Israeli forces that impelled Israel to launch attacks in Gaza.
Israeli officials claim Hamas opened fire on troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Hamas has refuted any involvement and said it was still committed to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Hamas will 'pay a heavy price', says Israeli defence minister
Tuesday 28 October 2025 19:06
,
Harriette Boucher
Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said Hamas “will pay a heavy price” for attacking IDF soldiers in Rafah on Tuesday, and for “violating the agreement to return the fallen hostages.”
"The attack on IDF soldiers in Gaza today by the Hamas terrorist organisation is crossing a bright red line to which the IDF will respond with great force.
"Hamas will pay with compound interest for attacking the soldiers and violating the agreement to return the fallen hostages," Katz says.
Hamas said it has no connection to the attack.
An Israeli military official said Israeli troops returned fire after being shot at in the southern city of Rafah.
Explosions seen over Gaza night sky, after Netanyahu said he ordered 'powerful strikes'
Tuesday 28 October 2025 18:53
,
Harriette Boucher
Two dead and four injured in Israeli attacks
Tuesday 28 October 2025 18:39
,
Harriette Boucher
At least two people are dead and four after Israeli struck a neighbourhood south of Gaza City, according to Gaza’s civil defence.
Hamas accused of breaching ceasefire agreement
Tuesday 28 October 2025 18:35
,
Harriette Boucher
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered military to carry out “powerful” attacks on Gaza shortly after Israeli officials accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Earlier today, Israel said Hamas opened fire on troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is under Israeli control.
Netanyahu also accused Hamas of breaching the deal after it returned the additional remains of hostage Ofir Tzarfati, who had already been recovered and buried in 2023.
Explosions seen in various parts of Gaza
Tuesday 28 October 2025 18:25
,
Harriette Boucher
Witnesses have heard the sound of explosions and tanks firing in various parts of Gaza, including in Gaza City and Deir al-Balah.
Strikes are reported to have targeted an area near Shifa hospital, the largest operational hospital in northern Gaza.
Israel has launched an attack on Gaza after orders from Netanyahu, witnesses say
Tuesday 28 October 2025 18:15
,
Harriette Boucher
Israeli forces have launched an attack on Gaza, targeting an area near northern Gaza’s largest operational hospital, according to witnesses.
Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to carry out the strikes.
Israeli military officials accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement after Israel said it opened fire at Israeli troops in Rafah on Tuesday.