Over 200 killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza amid ceasefire collapse
Over 200 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The strikes targeted dozens of sites in multiple areas, including Gaza, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah, and marked the end of a ceasefire that had been in place since January 19. The Israeli military announced that it targeted Hamas positions and that its military operations would continue "for as long as necessary." Health officials in Gaza reported that most of the victims were children, and hospitals, already overwhelmed after 15 months of bombings, are facing a massive influx of wounded patients, according to Reuters..
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that rescue teams responded to 86 fatalities and 134 injuries, while local residents transported other victims to hospitals. At the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, and Al-Ahly Hospital in Gaza City—all severely impacted by the ongoing conflict—at least 85 bodies were brought in. Authorities also reported the deaths of 16 members of the same family in Rafah, in southern Gaza.
Israel accuses Hamas of violating the ceasefire
Hamas accused Israel of breaking the ceasefire agreement, endangering the lives of 59 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. In turn, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the military offensive resumed because Hamas had refused to release the hostages and had not accepted the proposals from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
"Israel will now act against Hamas with increasing military force," said an official statement from the Israeli government.
The White House confirmed that Israel consulted the U.S. administration before launching the attacks, which targeted Hamas infrastructure and mid-ranking commanders of the group.
The renewed fighting comes after failed attempts to extend the ceasefire, which had allowed the release of 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. With U.S. support, Israel sought to extend the truce to negotiate the release of the remaining 59 hostages, but Hamas demanded guarantees for the final end of the war and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
In recent weeks, Israel has blocked the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and warned that it would resume attacks if Hamas did not agree to release the hostages.
Tuesday's strikes targeted several neighborhoods in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah. Among those killed was Mohammad Al-Jmasi, a senior Hamas official, along with several members of his family, including his grandchildren.
15 months of devastating conflict
The fighting erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israeli communities, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The Israeli military response has resulted in the deaths of over 48,000 people, according to Gaza authorities, and has turned the enclave into a landscape of ruins, destroying essential infrastructure, including hospitals.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
