Following the expiration of a previous truce, Israel has recommenced military operations in Gaza.
After negotiations with Hamas regarding the release of remaining hostages and the continuation of a ceasefire broke down, Israel has resumed airstrikes targeting the Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced early Tuesday that they were “conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated the strikes were in response to “Hamas’s repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators.”
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” the PM’s office added.
Al Jazeera, citing authorities in Gaza run by Hamas, reported that over 200 Palestinians have been killed. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported strikes hitting central and southern areas of the densely populated Gaza Strip.
Reuters reported that a senior Hamas official claimed Israel had “unilaterally” ended the ceasefire, which was brokered by the US and Arab nations. According to AP, the initial agreement, which took effect on January 19, involved Hamas releasing 25 hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for the release of approximately 1,500 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
Since the first phase of the truce ended on March 1, Israel and Hamas have been unable to reach an agreement on the next steps. The Israeli government accused Hamas of “manipulation and psychological warfare,” and held the militant group responsible for rejecting the plan presented last week by US envoy Steve Witkoff.
Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua told Reuters earlier this month that the group was working with mediators to “compel” Israel to proceed with the next phases of the ceasefire.
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