Israel has resumed its military campaign in Gaza with broader objectives and significantly fewer restrictions, raising concerns that this phase could be even more deadly and destructive than the previous one. The war restarted with an unexpected bombardment early Tuesday, killing hundreds of Palestinians, ending the ceasefire, and threatening further devastation unless Hamas releases the remaining hostages and departs from the region. One-month-old rescued from Gaza rubble after airstrike kills parents Former U.S. President Donald Trump has fully endorsed the renewed offensive and previously suggested that Gaza’s 2 million residents be relocated to other countries. Meanwhile, Iran-backed militant groups allied with Hamas are in disarray. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is stronger than ever, and the number of hostages held inside Gaza is at its lowest since Hamas launched the war on October 7, 2023. This gives the Israeli military greater operational freedom. These factors indicate that the next stage of the war could be even more intense than the last, during which tens of thousands of Palestinians were killed, the majority of the population was displaced, and much of Gaza was left in ruins. "If all the Israeli hostages are not released and Hamas is not expelled from Gaza, Israel will act with an intensity you have never seen," Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday. "Return the hostages and expel Hamas, and other options will become available, including relocation to other countries for those who wish. The alternative is total destruction and devastation." Even Less U.S. Pressure to Protect CiviliansThe Biden administration provided critical military and diplomatic backing to Israel during the first 15 months of the war but also sought to reduce civilian casualties. Early in the conflict, Biden convinced Israel to ease its total blockade on Gaza and consistently urged it to allow more humanitarian aid, with mixed success. He opposed Israel’s offensive in southern Gaza in May and temporarily halted a weapons shipment in protest, though Israel proceeded regardless. Biden also played a key role in securing the ceasefire through negotiations with Egypt and Qatar, with Trump’s team later finalising the deal. Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 40, Say Hospitals The Trump administration, however, appears to have imposed no restrictions. It has not criticised Israel for sealing off Gaza again, unilaterally withdrawing from the ceasefire agreement, or launching strikes that have killed hundreds of civilians. Israel maintains that it only targets militants and insists that dismantling Hamas is essential to preventing another attack like the one on October 7, when Palestinian militants killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages. The Biden administration previously questioned this approach, arguing that Hamas was no longer capable of carrying out such an attack. Before the January ceasefire, the offensive had resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its reports but states that more than half of the casualties were women and children. Trump Has Proposed Depopulating GazaTrump appeared to lose interest in the ceasefire weeks ago, saying it should be abandoned if Hamas did not release all hostages immediately. A brief White House effort to negotiate directly with Hamas was abandoned after Israel objected. Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, later blamed Hamas for the ceasefire’s collapse, stating that it had rejected proposals for the immediate release of hostages. Hamas has insisted that it will only release the remaining hostages—its primary bargaining tool—in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as outlined in the ceasefire agreement. Trump, meanwhile, has proposed relocating Gaza’s entire population to other countries so the U.S. could take control of the territory and rebuild it for other inhabitants. Palestinians have rejected this idea, insisting they will not leave their homeland, while Arab nations have also strongly opposed it. Human rights experts argue that such a move would likely violate international law. Israel has welcomed the proposal and stated that it is developing plans to implement it. Netanyahu’s Government Is More Secure Than EverNetanyahu faced intense pressure from the families of hostages and their supporters to maintain the ceasefire in hopes of securing their release. For months, thousands of protesters gathered in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, blocking highways and clashing with police. By resuming the war, Netanyahu has sidelined these critics and reinforced his hard-line coalition. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who resigned in protest against the ceasefire, rejoined the government shortly after Tuesday’s strikes. Along with Bezalel Smotrich, another far-right ally of Netanyahu, he supports continuing the war, facilitating "voluntary migration" of Gaza’s population, and re-establishing Jewish settlements there, which were removed two decades ago. Netanyahu has also dismissed or forced out several high-ranking officials who appeared more open to a hostage deal. Hamas and Its Allies Are in DisarrayAlthough Hamas still governs Gaza, most of its senior leaders have been killed, and its military capabilities have been significantly weakened. Israel claims to have eliminated around 20,000 militants, though it has not provided evidence. In its first attack after the ceasefire ended, Hamas launched three rockets on Thursday, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv but causing no casualties. Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which engaged in cross-border clashes with Israel for much of the war, was forced to accept a truce last autumn after Israeli strikes killed many of its leaders and devastated southern Lebanon. The fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a key ally, has further weakened the group. Iran, which backs both Hamas and Hezbollah and directly exchanged fire with Israel twice last year, appears unlikely to intervene. Israel claims to have severely damaged Iran’s air defences with a wave of retaliatory strikes last autumn, while Trump has warned of U.S. military action if Iran refuses to negotiate a new nuclear deal. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have resumed launching long-range missiles at Israel, though these have rarely caused significant damage or casualties. The U.S. has responded with a new round of strikes on the Houthis, potentially further reducing their operational capacity. International Criticism May Be More MutedThe initial phase of the war prompted global protests, condemnation from some European leaders, and United Nations action. Israel faced genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice, while the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. This time, however, the response could be different. The Trump administration has detained foreign-born pro-Palestinian student activists and others, while also threatening to withdraw billions in federal funding from universities accused of tolerating antisemitism. This crackdown makes a repeat of last year’s U.S. campus protests less likely. European nations, already engaged in disputes with Trump over aid to Ukraine and trade tariffs, seem unlikely to challenge him over Middle East policy. Both the U.S. and Israel have firmly rejected the actions of international courts, accusing them of bias. In early February, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC, of which neither the U.S. nor Israel is a member.

Israel's military announced on Wednesday that it had initiated a “limited ground operation” aimed at reclaiming a portion of a vital Gaza corridor. This escalation appears to intensify Israel's renewed offensive in Gaza, which has broken the ceasefire with Hamas that began in January. As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel had withdrawn from the Netzarim corridor, a former military zone that divided northern Gaza from the south. Israeli strikes killing hundreds in Gaza are 'Only the Beginning': Netanyahu In other developments, a United Nations staff member was killed, and five others were injured in a strike on a U.N. guesthouse in Gaza on Wednesday, as Israel continued its new offensive, breaking the fragile ceasefire with Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned of intensifying the assault and stated that evacuations from combat zones would soon be ordered. He also issued a stern warning regarding hostages, asserting that if they were not freed, Israel would act with unprecedented force. Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS), refrained from specifying who was behind the strike in Deir al-Balah, but confirmed that the explosion was intentional and not connected to demining activities. He stated that Israel had been informed of the U.N. facility's location after the first strike and had acknowledged it as a U.N. site. The injured were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital in Deir al-Balah. The Israeli military denied earlier claims that it had targeted the U.N. compound, but Moreira da Silva revealed that strikes had hit near the compound on Monday, and directly on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in the death of the U.N. staff member. There have been no reports of rocket fire or other militant attacks from Gaza since Israel began its airstrikes early Tuesday, effectively ending the ceasefire with Hamas. The ongoing bombardment has resulted in at least 436 deaths, including 183 children and 94 women, with another 678 people wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The military has stated that it targets only militants, attributing civilian casualties to Hamas, which operates in densely populated areas. In the new offensive, the Israeli military claimed to have struck numerous militants and their sites, including the command center of a Hamas battalion. Israel confirms killing Hamas's 'head of government' in Gaza The escalation of violence threatens to return the region to full-scale war after a ceasefire agreement brokered in January had briefly paused the conflict. During this pause, Israel and Hamas had engaged in prisoner exchanges and were poised to negotiate an extension of the truce. However, these talks never materialized, as Hamas demanded Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza and the cessation of the war, while Israel proposed extending the truce and securing the release of more hostages without committing to ending the conflict.

Hamas dismissed President Donald Trump's latest threat on Thursday, reaffirming that it will only release the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, reports AP. The group accused Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to back out of the ceasefire agreement made in January. This agreement involves negotiations for a second phase, which includes releasing the hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas to release all remaining hostages Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua stated that the "best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages" is through negotiations on this second phase, which were supposed to begin in February. However, only limited preparatory talks have occurred so far. On Wednesday, Trump issued what he called a "last warning" to Hamas following a meeting with eight former hostages. The White House confirmed that it had held direct talks with Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist group by Israel and Western nations. Trump posted on Truth Social: “Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you. Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!” Both Israel and Hamas have a history of holding the remains of their enemies for potential exchange in hostage-prisoner deals. Hamas is believed to still hold 24 living hostages from the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war, including Israeli-American Edan Alexander. It is also holding the bodies of 34 others killed in the initial attack or in captivity, along with the remains of a soldier killed in the 2014 war. In the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire, Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. That phase ended on Saturday. Israel has backed a new U.S. plan for the second phase, which would see Hamas release half of the remaining hostages immediately, with the rest released when a permanent ceasefire is negotiated. Hamas has rejected the proposal, insisting on sticking with the January agreement. Israel has cut off the supply of food, fuel, medicine, and other essentials to Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians to pressure Hamas into accepting the new terms, threatening “additional consequences” if Hamas does not resume releasing hostages. It remains unclear if the U.S.-Hamas talks made any progress. The Trump administration has expressed full support for Israel’s primary war objectives: the return of all hostages and the elimination of Hamas, which could be incompatible. The October 7 attack by Hamas killed approximately 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and took 251 hostages, most of whom have been released through ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more. With the Gaza ceasefire in limbo, Israel tries to impose an alternative plan on Hamas Israel’s military offensive has claimed the lives of over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. However. Israel claims to have killed over 17,000 fighters, though without evidence. The ongoing offensive has devastated Gaza, displacing most of its population. Hundreds of thousands of people now live in tents, schools-turned-shelters, or war-damaged buildings, and rely on international aid.

Yasmin Eid coughs and covers her face, cooking a small pot of lentils over a fire fed with twigs and scrap paper in the tent she shares with her husband and four young daughters in the Gaza Strip. It was their only meal Wednesday — it was all they could afford. “My girls suck on their thumbs because of how hungry they are, and I pat their backs until they sleep,” she said. Death toll in Gaza surpasses 44,000 After being displaced five times, the Eids reside in central Gaza, where aid groups have relatively more access than in the north, which has been largely isolated and heavily destroyed since Israel began waging a renewed offensive against the militant group Hamas in early October. But nearly everyone in Gaza is going hungry these days. In the north experts say a full-blown famine may be underway. On Thursday, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, accusing them of using “starvation as a method of warfare” — charges Israel adamantly denies. In Deir al-Balah, the Eids are among hundreds of thousands sheltering in squalid tent camps. The local bakeries shut down for five days this week. The price of a bag of bread climbed above $13 by Wednesday, as bread and flour vanished from shelves before more supplies arrived. The United Nations humanitarian office warned of a “stark increase” in the number of households experiencing severe hunger in central and southern Gaza. It appeared to be linked to the robbery at gunpoint of nearly 100 aid trucks last weekend in southern Gaza, close to Israeli military positions. Israel blamed Hamas but appears to have taken no action to stop the looting, while Hamas said it was the work of local bandits. Aid groups say the looting is one of many obstacles to getting food and other vital aid to the territory's 2.3 million Palestinians. They also have to contend with Israeli movement restrictions, ongoing fighting, and heavy damage wreaked by the Israeli bombardment of roads and critical infrastructure. For the Eids, hunger is the daily routineFor months, Yasmin and her family have gone to bed hungry. “Everything has increased in price, and we cannot buy anything," she said. “We always go to sleep without having dinner.” She misses coffee, but a single packet of Nescafe goes for around $1.30. A kilogram (2 pounds) of onions goes for $10, a medium bottle of cooking oil for $15 — if available. Meat and chicken all but vanished from the markets months ago, but there are still some local vegetables. Such sums are astronomical in an impoverished territory where few people earn regular incomes. Crowds of hundreds wait hours to get food from charities, which are also struggling. Hani Almadhoun, co-founder of the Gaza Soup Kitchen, said his teams can offer only small bowls of rice or pasta once a day. He said they “can go to the market on one day and buy something for $5, and then go back in the afternoon to find it doubled or tripled in price.” Its kitchen in the central town of Zuweida operated on a daily budget of around $500 for much of the war. When the amount of aid entering Gaza plummeted in October, its costs climbed to around $1,300 a day. It can feed about half of the 1,000 families who line up each day. The sharp decline in aid, and a U.S. ultimatumIsrael says it places no limits on the amount of aid entering Gaza and has announced a number of measures it says are aimed at increasing the flow in recent weeks, including the opening of a new crossing. It blames U.N. agencies for not retrieving it, pointing to hundreds of truckloads languishing on the Gaza side of the border. But the military's own figures show that the amount of aid entering Gaza plunged to around 1,800 trucks in October, down from over 4,200 the previous month. At the current rate of entry, around 2,400 trucks would come into Gaza in November. Around 500 trucks entered each day before the war. The U.N. says less than half the truckloads are actually distributed because of ongoing fighting, Israeli denial of movement requests, and the breakdown of law and order. Hamas-run police have vanished from many areas after being targeted by Israeli airstrikes. The war started Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters stormed into Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are dead, and Hamas militants have repeatedly regrouped after Israeli operations, carrying out hit-and-run attacks from tunnels and bombed-out buildings. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 44,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities, who do not say how many of the dead were fighters. The United States warned Israel in October that it might be forced to curtail some of its crucial military support if Israel did not rapidly ramp up the amount of aid entering Gaza. But after the 30-day ultimatum expired, the Biden administration declined to take any action, saying there had been some progress. Israel meanwhile passed legislation severing ties with UNRWA. Israel accuses the agency of allowing itself to be infiltrated by Hamas — allegations denied by the U.N. Israeli news outlets have reported that officials are considering plans for the military to take over aid distribution or contract it out to private security companies. Asked about such plans Wednesday, government spokesman David Mercer said “Israel is looking at many creative solutions to ensure a better future for Gaza.” Yoav Gallant, the former defense minister who was seen as a voice of moderation in the far-right government before being fired this month, warned on X that handing over aid distribution to a private firm was a “euphemism for the beginning of military rule.” As that debate plays out in Jerusalem, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away from central Gaza, most Palestinians in the territory are focused on staying alive in a war with no end in sight. “I find it difficult to talk about the suffering we are experiencing. I am ashamed to talk about it,” said Yasmin’s husband, Hani. “What can I tell you? I’m a person who has 21 family members and is unable to provide them with a bag of flour.”