WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- President Donald Trump's ceasefire agreement in Gaza was tested Oct. 28 as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to conduct strikes in Gaza as his government alleged Hamas violated a White House-backed ceasefire agreement by firing on Israeli forces and failing to return the remains of deceased hostages.
Israeli officials said Hamas had attacked Israeli forces in Rafah, in southern Gaza. Strikes in Gaza were carried out in response.
"This is a clear violation of the agreement by the terrorist organization Hamas," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
Hamas denied involvement in the attack on Israeli forces, but was also accused of deception in the return of the remains of another Israeli hostage. But Israel said forensic tests showed the remains were from another victim whose body was previously recovered.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement it was "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."
Mary Ellen O'Connell, a professor at Notre Dame Law School who specializes in international law and conflict resolution, said in comments shared with OSV News, "Israel's decision to bomb is an unjustified breach of its commitment to the ceasefire. There have been issues but nothing serious enough to justify this violation."
"Even if Hamas had committed a material breach, return to military force is not a lawful response in the circumstances," she said. "Countermeasures aimed at Hamas fighters themselves are lawful and effective if proportionate to the wrong."
It was not yet clear how the strikes would impact Trump's attempt to broker a peace plan for Gaza. But Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Capitol Hill Oct. 28 that "the ceasefire is holding. That doesn't mean that there aren't going to be little skirmishes."
"We know that Hamas or somebody else within Gaza attacked an IDF soldier," Vance said. "We expect the Israelis are going to respond -- but I think the president's peace is going to hold."
O'Connell said that Trump "has the ability to pressure Israel back into compliance and should use it."
A spokesperson for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association said the group "continues to pray, not only for a just peace, but for the will of all parties to pursue peace."
