Israel launched fresh airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday morning, resulting in at least 235 people killed, including women and children, according to hospital reports.
Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas positions in its heaviest assault on the territory since a ceasefire took effect in January.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the strikes due to the lack of progress in ongoing talks to extend the ceasefire. It was not immediately clear if the operation was a one-time pressure tactic or if the 17-month-old war was being resumed altogether.
“This comes after Hamas repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all offers it received from the U.S. Presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff, and from the mediators,” Netanyahu’s office said, AP reported
Criticizing the new Israeli attacks, Taher Nunu, a Hamas official said, “The international community faces a moral test: either it allows the return of the crimes committed by the occupation army or it enforces a commitment to ending the aggression and war against innocent people in Gaza,” he said.
In Gaza, explosions were heard at multiple locations, and ambulances arrived at Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza.
These strikes came two months after a ceasefire was agreed to pause the war. During a six-week period, Hamas released about three dozen hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
However, since the first phase of the ceasefire ended two weeks ago, both sides have been unable to reach an agreement on a second phase aimed at releasing the remaining 60 hostages and bringing an end to the war. Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to resume the conflict and, earlier this month, halted all food and aid deliveries into the besieged territory to pressure Hamas.
(With AP inputs)
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