Israel launched a series of “extensive strikes” across Gaza early Tuesday morning, killing hundreds of Palestinians and collapsing the recent ceasefire agreement.
The strikes targeted various locations, including Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah, marking the most significant military operation in Gaza since the ceasefire began on January 19.
Medics and local witnesses reported more than 200 Palestinians killed, with more than 150 others wounded from airstrikes and artillery shelling. Among the casualties were women and children, including those sheltering in the Al-Tabi’in School in the Al-Daraj neighborhood. The attack also targeted Palestinian refugees in tents in the Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it was prepared to continue attacks against Hamas commanders and infrastructure in Gaza for as long as needed and would expand the campaign beyond airstrikes with a potential ground invasion.
In response, Hamas warned that Israel’s new attacks in Gaza breach the ceasefire and put the fate of the hostages in jeopardy. The Palestinian group, which has for weeks accused Israel of not being interested in a truce, said Israel ‘”decided to overturn the ceasefire agreement” in a released statement on Tuesday.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also condemned Israel accusing it of continuing its “war of extermination” on Gaza after “deliberately sabotaging all efforts to reach a ceasefire”. In a statement, the group said the renewed attack by Netanyahu and his “bloodthirsty Nazi government” will not give Israel “superiority over the resistance, neither on the ground nor in negotiations”.
“We affirm that what Netanyahu and his barbaric army failed to achieve in 15 months of crimes and bloodshed, they will not succeed in achieving again, thanks to the steadfastness of our oppressed people and the courage of our mujahideen in the fields of… resistance,” the PIJ said.
أكثر من 35 غارة جوية إسرائيلية على غزة خلال النصف ساعة الأخيرة، وطواقم الإسعاف والدفاع المدني تواجه صعوبة في إخلاء الشهداء والجرحى. pic.twitter.com/gCRH0kW9Je
— أنس الشريف Anas Al-Sharif (@AnasAlSharif0) March 18, 2025
Israel consulted with President Trump before launching their latest attack on Gaza, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “As President Trump has made clear, Hamas, the Houthis, Iran – all those who seek to terrorise not just Israel but the US – will see a price to pay, and all hell will break loose,” she told Fox News.
“The Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran and Iranian-backed terror proxies should take President Trump very seriously when he says he’s not afraid to stand for law-abiding people and stand up for the US and our friend and ally Israel.”
This wave of violence comes after an already difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza, which has been exacerbated by Israel’s blockade and its refusal to lift restrictions on vital aid supplies.
Gaza’s Government Media Office reported more than 61,700, with thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble and presumed dead.
The strike follows the breakdown of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which had hoped to extend the ceasefire. The initial ceasefire, brokered by international mediators, had been in place since January 19, but talks for its extension have since faltered.
The United States had pushed for a continuation of the truce to include an additional phase aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel. However, disagreements between Israel and Hamas over the specifics of the deal, including the demand for the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, have led to a deadlock.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Defence Minister Israel Katz, blamed Hamas for the collapse of the ceasefire, accusing the militant group of refusing to release Israeli hostages and rejecting US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposals.
According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, Israel’s renewed military action aims to achieve “the war objectives as determined by the political leadership,” which include securing the release of all hostages—both living and deceased.
Human rights groups have condemned Israel’s failure to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire. Countries like the UK, France, and Germany have all voiced their concern over the blockade and the ongoing military escalation.
