Israel carried out widespread airstrikes across Gaza early Tuesday, killing over 400 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The attacks, which shattered a ceasefire in place since January, were launched as Israel sought to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages and relinquishing control of the territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas rejected a demand to free half of the remaining hostages in exchange for extending the ceasefire. The bombardment—the deadliest in the 17-month war—claimed the lives of many women and children, the Gaza Health Ministry reported.
Netanyahu declared the offensive was "only the beginning" and vowed to continue military operations until Hamas was defeated and all hostages were freed.
Hamas reported that six senior officials were among those killed in the strikes, including the head of its civilian government, a justice ministry figure, and two security leaders.
Speaking in a televised statement, Netanyahu said any future ceasefire talks would occur "under fire." The White House confirmed it had been consulted and expressed support for Israel’s actions.
Evacuations Ordered, Supplies Running Out
The Israeli military instructed residents in eastern Gaza to evacuate toward central areas, signaling a possible renewed ground assault. Aid agencies warned that food, medicine, and essential supplies were critically low, as Israel had cut off deliveries for the past two weeks, affecting Gaza’s two million residents.
Airstrikes targeted homes and shelters, igniting a tent camp as families slept or prepared the pre-dawn meal for Ramadan fasting. In Gaza City, resident Omar Greygaa described the devastation:
"Everywhere I looked, I found the dead. I don’t know if this is war or a truce."
More than 400 killed as Israel launches airstrikes across Gaza
The latest escalation raised fears about the fate of around two dozen remaining hostages believed to be alive. A senior Hamas official accused Netanyahu of resuming hostilities to secure his political standing, calling the decision a "death sentence" for the hostages.
Hours after the strikes, Hamas had not launched retaliatory attacks, but Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired rockets toward Israel for the first time since the ceasefire began. The missiles, intercepted before reaching Israeli territory, triggered alarms in the Negev desert. The U.S. had recently carried out strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis.
Political Fallout in Israel
Netanyahu's renewed offensive comes as he faces domestic turmoil, including mass protests over his handling of the hostage crisis and his decision to fire Israel’s domestic security chief. His latest testimony in a corruption trial was postponed due to the attacks.
The strikes appeared to strengthen Netanyahu’s political standing, with far-right leader Itamar Ben-Gvir’s party rejoining the government after previously exiting over the ceasefire. However, families of hostages accused the government of sabotaging negotiations.
"Netanyahu didn’t open the gates of hell on Hamas today. He opened them on our loved ones," said Einav Zangauker, whose son remains captive.
Gaza's Hospitals Overwhelmed
The resumption of hostilities shattered two months of relative calm, forcing Palestinians to once again search for loved ones buried under rubble.
Hospitals reported a surge in casualties. A single strike in Rafah killed 17 members of one family, including five children, while another in Gaza City left 27 dead, mostly women and children.
At Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital, medical staff struggled to cope. Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a volunteer with Medical Aid for Palestinians, described treating a six-year-old girl with brain injuries who arrived without identification.
"We don’t know if her family survived," she said.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported at least 404 people killed and more than 560 wounded in Tuesday’s strikes. Over half of the dead were women and children. Officials called it the deadliest day since the war began, bringing the Palestinian death toll to over 48,500.
US Supports Israel, Holds Hamas Responsible
The White House blamed Hamas for the renewed violence, stating that the group could have extended the ceasefire by releasing hostages but chose war instead. However, the ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S. did not require Hamas to release more captives in exchange for an extension.
69 killed as Israel launches series of deadly airstrikes across Gaza
An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said the military was targeting Hamas leaders and infrastructure and that the offensive would likely expand beyond airstrikes. Hamas denied planning any new attacks.
Dispute Over Ceasefire Terms
The January ceasefire saw Hamas release 25 hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for 1,700 Palestinian prisoners. Under the agreement’s second phase, all remaining hostages were to be freed, the war was to end, and Israeli forces were to withdraw.
However, Israel refused to negotiate the next phase, instead demanding that Hamas first release half of the remaining hostages in return for a temporary truce. Hamas rejected this and insisted both sides adhere to the original agreement.
Netanyahu's refusal to end the war aligns with far-right members of his coalition, who advocate for depopulating Gaza and rebuilding Jewish settlements there. By resuming military action, Netanyahu may also avoid politically difficult negotiations over Gaza’s future governance.
Source: With input from agency