After the Hamas terror organization severely violated the ceasefire agreement and its terrorists opened fire in a coordinated attack on an IDF unit, killing Master Sgt. (res.) Yonah Ephraim Feldbaum, H’yd, the political leadership ordered a military response that included airstrikes on dozens of Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip.

Efi, z’l, 46, a dual Israeli-US citizen, was killed during an IDF Nachal operation in eastern Rafah. Hamas’s violation of the truce occurred at 3:45 p.m., when terrorists opened fire at an engineering vehicle (a bulldozer). Feldbaum was hit and killed instantly. Minutes later, terrorists fired a second anti-tank missile at another IDF vehicle in the area, but b’chasdei Hashem, there were no casualties.

Feldbaum is survived by his wife, Shulamit, and five children: two-year-old twins Dovid and Yonatan, daughters Yasmin and Rita-Rivka, and his eldest son, Uri, age 11.

His father-in-law, Menachem Levy, told Ynet: “They’ve turned me into the children’s father now, at age 70.”

Throughout the night, the Israeli Air Force and other units carried out roughly 30 precision strikes against Hamas terrorists, including senior figures in the organization. A security source told Channel 12, “It is not yet clear how many terrorists were eliminated, but this was an exceptionally powerful strike. If Hamas continues its violations, Israel will respond again.”

Simultaneously, Palestinian reports indicated widespread attacks on Hamas infrastructure, including observation posts, rocket launchers, command centers, and tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip. The main strikes focused on Gaza City, Jabaliya, Al-Bureij, and Khan Younis. Early Wednesday morning, Palestinian media outlets reported renewed Israeli strikes, primarily in the Rafah area—the site of Tuesday’s attack.

On Wednesday morning, at approximately 10 a.m., the IDF announced that it was returning to the ceasefire agreement and halting fire.

The IDF spokesperson stated, “In accordance with the directive of the political echelon, and following a series of strikes in which dozens of terror targets and terrorists were struck, the IDF has begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire in response to Hamas’ violations.

“As part of the strikes, the IDF and Shin Bet struck 30 terrorists holding command positions within the terrorist organizations operating in Gaza.

“The IDF will continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement and will respond firmly to any violation of it.”

The resumption of the ceasefire came after the U.S. administration stated that Hamas’s gunfire in Rafah and its failure to return the 13 bodies of fallen hostages do not justify a full-scale return to war.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday night that Israel should respond with targeted strikes in Gaza but that the ceasefire remains in place.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)