Israel ‘overturns’ Gaza ceasefire with deadly strikes; medics claim over 200 killed
The Israeli military said it hit targets across Gaza early on Tuesday, ending a weeks-long deadlock over extending the ceasefire that paused fighting in January, with Palestinian health ministry officials reporting at least 200 dead, reported news agency Reuters.
A senior Hamas official said Israel is unilaterally ending the Gaza ceasefire agreement after a series of Israeli strikes that killed dozens of Palestinians.
Senior Hamas security official Mahmoud Abu Watfa was killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, Reuters quoted Hamas media.
According to medics cited by the news agency, at least 200 Palestinians, including several children, were killed, and dozens of others were wounded in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency said in a joint statement that they were conducting extensive strikes on targets belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
White House was consulted by Israel in Gaza strikes on Monday, Fox News reported.
Israel ‘overturns’ ceasefire
Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government have decided to overturn the ceasefire agreement, exposing hostages in Gaza to an unknown fate, Reuters quoted a Hamas official.
Benjamin Netanyahu said he instructed the military to take “strong action” against Hamas in Gaza in response to the Palestinian militant group’s refusal to release hostages and rejection of all ceasefire proposals.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” prime minister’s office statement said.
According to medics and witnesses, three houses were struck in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, a building was hit in Gaza City, and targets in Khan Younis and Rafah were also attacked.
The Palestinian civil emergency service reported at least 35 airstrikes on Gaza.
Ceasefire disagreements
The increase in violence comes amid ongoing disagreements between Israel and Hamas regarding the continuation of the three-phase ceasefire that started in January.
Arab mediators, supported by the United States, have been unable to resolve the differences between the two sides during the discussions held over the past two weeks. Over a six-week period, Hamas released around three dozen hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the first leg of the ceasefire agreement.
However, since the first phase of the ceasefire ended two weeks ago, the two sides have been unable to agree on a path forward for a second phase, which was intended to secure the release of nearly 60 remaining hostages and bring the war to an end. Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to resume military action and, earlier this month, halted all food and aid deliveries into the besieged territory in an attempt to pressure Hamas.
The war began with Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has resulted in the deaths of over 48,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and displaced around 90 per cent of Gaza’s population. The Health Ministry in Gaza does not distinguish between civilians and militants, but reports that more than half of the casualties have been women and children.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu’s office stated.
The ceasefire had provided some relief to Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to what was left of their homes.