The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced on Sunday that its fighters had recovered the body of an Israeli captive during ongoing field operations in the Gaza Strip.

The Brigades stated that the body would be handed over "if conditions on the ground are suitable", underscoring that the current security situation poses significant challenges to ongoing search and recovery efforts.

In a statement, the al-Qassam Brigades warned that "any Zionist escalation will hinder search and excavation operations and the recovery of bodies, which will delay the occupation's recovery of its soldiers." The warning comes amid rising tensions on the ground, as the occupation continues to carry out military activities in multiple areas of Gaza, despite the existing ceasefire agreement.

Children, journalist among martyrs in latest Israeli violations in Gaza

At least 17 Palestinians were martyred on Sunday in a new wave of Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, targeting civilian areas, schools, homes, and refugee camps. Among the victims were eight children and a journalist.

According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Gaza, six children were martyred when Israeli warplanes bombed al-Sardi School, located south of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

In a separate attack on a building housing journalists in al-Zawaida, also in central Gaza, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed the deaths of two Palestinians, one of them a journalist.

Another citizen was martyred, and several others were wounded, when Israeli forces struck a home in the al-Suwwarha area, west of Nuseirat.

In western Gaza City, several Palestinians were reported martyred and others injured when occupation aircraft targeted a group of civilians near Abu Hasira Street.

The al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat announced the arrival of one martyr and seven wounded following an Israeli strike on an electric charging station west of the camp. The hospital later reported receiving two additional martyrs and ten injuries after a separate strike on a home in Block 4 of al-Bureij camp, also in central Gaza.

Meanwhile, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, four Palestinians, including two children, were martyred when Israeli warplanes targeted a displacement tent in the al-Mawasi area west of the city.

Rafah attack leaves two soldiers dead

Earlier in the day, Israeli media reported that two soldiers were killed and two others wounded in what the occupation forces described as a “security incident” in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.

According to Israeli reports, the casualties resulted from two separate operations, a sniper attack and the detonation of an explosive device, both targeting occupation forces stationed in Rafah, though no confirmation has been made by independent sources.

Following the incident, the Israeli occupation launched a series of attacks on what it claimed were “several targets” in Rafah. Local sources reported artillery and airstrikes across multiple areas in the southern city.

On a related note, the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, reaffirmed on Sunday their “full commitment” to implementing the ceasefire agreement across all areas of the Gaza Strip, denying any role or knowledge of recent incidents reported in Rafah.

In an official statement, the group said: “We affirm our complete commitment to implementing everything that has been agreed upon, foremost among them the ceasefire in all areas of the Gaza Strip.”

The Brigades emphasized that it has “no knowledge of any events or clashes taking place in the Rafah area,” explaining that these areas are under full Israeli control. “Rafah and the surrounding zones are red areas that fall under the control of the occupation,” the statement read.

The latest Israeli aggression comes following multiple Israeli violations, including multiple strikes that took place despite the ceasefire agreement that went into effect on October 11.