Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas has collapsed as dozens of people including children have been killed in a series of air strikes in Gaza. Hamas-run health ministry has reported that at least 322 Palestinians have been killed.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it was targeting what it called « terror targets » belonging to Hamas. Mahmoud Abu Wafah, the deputy interior minister in Gaza and the highest-ranking Hamas security official in the territory, has reportedly been killed in a strike, reports BBC. A statement from Israel‘s Prime Minister’s Office stated that Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the strikes on Tuesday morning.
It reads: « This follows 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, » it said.
« Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength. »
According to the witnesses, over 20 Israeli warplanes flew over and soon began to hit targets in Gaza City, Rafah, and Khan Younis.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement on Tuesday condemning the renewed attacks in Gaza. It reads: « The claim that the war is being renewed for the release of the hostages is a complete deception – military pressure endangers the hostages and soldiers. We must return to the cease-fire.”
The unexpected assault disrupted a period of relative tranquility during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, heightening the likelihood of renewed conflict in the 17-month war that has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and left widespread devastation across Gaza.
A senior Hamas official said Netanyahu’s decision to launch widespread strikes on the Gaza strip amounted to a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages held there. In a statement early on Tuesday, Izzat al-Risheq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, accused Netanyahu of resuming the war to try and save his far-right governing coalition, reports The Guardian.
US President Donald Trump‘s administration was consulted by Israel prior to carrying out the strikes, a White House spokesperson told Fox News.
The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack in southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has since resulted in over 48,520 deaths, the majority being civilians, according to figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, which are cited by the UN and other organisations.
Most of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents have been displaced multiple times. An estimated 70% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, while healthcare, water, and sanitation systems have collapsed, leading to severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter.
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