Israel Launches Airstrikes on Hamas Bases in Gaza; 33 Killed
Gaza City, October 29 (Udaipur Kiran) — Tensions escalated sharply in the Gaza Strip after the killing of an Israeli reserve soldier, prompting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to carry out a series of airstrikes targeting Hamas positions. According to reports, at least 33 people were killed in the latest bombardments across multiple locations, including Gaza City, Beit Lahia, Al-Bureij, Nuseirat, and Khan Younis.
As reported by The Times of Israel, the Hamas-run Civil Defense Agency claimed that 33 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli strikes. Hamas, however, denied any involvement in the soldier’s killing and reiterated its commitment to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement. Agency spokesperson Mahmoud Basal stated that rescue teams were still working to recover bodies and injured individuals from under the rubble.
Following the soldier’s death, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a brief statement directing the army to launch “massive retaliatory strikes.” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz accused Hamas of crossing a “red line” by attacking Israeli soldiers in Gaza and warned that the group “would pay the price.”
An Israeli military official confirmed that the attack took place east of the Yellow Line, a demarcation set under the ceasefire agreement to mark Israeli-controlled zones inside Gaza. The incident reportedly occurred when missiles were fired at Israeli troops near Rafah in southern Gaza.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera, citing medical sources, reported that the death toll could be as high as 63, including 24 children.
According to official figures, since Israel’s military operations began in October 2023, at least 68,527 Palestinians have been killed and over 170,000 injured. During the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel, 1,139 people were killed, and nearly 200 were taken hostage.
The Palestine Chronicle reported that seven people were killed in airstrikes on Sabra (west Gaza City) and northwest Khan Younis. Local emergency services said several people were injured in multiple explosions across the region. Sources at Al-Awda Hospital confirmed more casualties in a strike on a refugee tent camp near the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Israeli warplanes also bombed several Hamas targets in Rafah and attacked the Zaytoun neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City.
The IDF identified the slain Israeli soldier as Master Sergeant (Retd.) Yona Efraim Feldbaum, 37, who operated military machinery at Neria settlement in the West Bank. Preliminary investigation suggests that Hamas militants targeted Israeli forces with RPGs and sniper fire. The IDF believes the attackers were hiding in the same area where two Israeli soldiers were killed in a similar assault last week.
Israel has blamed Hamas for both attacks and vowed to continue its military operations in Gaza until all militant threats are neutralised.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
