Deir al-Balah: Israel launched a series of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing more than 400 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The assault, which marked the deadliest bombardment in the 17-month war with Hamas, effectively ended a ceasefire that had been in place since January.
The strikes were ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following Hamas’ refusal to alter the terms of the truce. Israeli officials described the operation as open-ended and indicated that it would expand further. The White House confirmed that it had been consulted ahead of the strikes and expressed its support for Israel’s actions.
The Israeli military instructed civilians to evacuate eastern Gaza and move toward central areas, signaling a potential resumption of ground operations. Aid organizations have warned that critical supplies, including food, medicine, and fuel, are running out after Israel cut off deliveries to Gaza’s population of 2 million people two weeks ago. “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu’s office stated.
The timing of the attack, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, has heightened fears of further escalation. The fate of about two dozen Israeli hostages believed to be alive in Hamas captivity remains uncertain.
The renewed conflict follows a series of attacks in the region by both Israel and the United States. The U.S. launched strikes on Iran-aligned rebels in Yemen, while Israel targeted militants in Lebanon and Syria.
A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Risheq, condemned Netanyahu’s decision to resume military operations, calling it a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages. He accused Netanyahu of reigniting the war to shore up support from his far-right coalition and urged mediators to reveal details of the ceasefire breakdown. Hamas reported that at least six senior members were killed in the strikes.
While there were no immediate reports of Hamas launching retaliatory attacks, the situation remains volatile.
The renewed offensive comes amid growing domestic pressure on Netanyahu, with mass protests planned over his handling of the hostage crisis and his decision to dismiss the head of Israel’s internal security agency. His scheduled testimony in an ongoing corruption trial was postponed due to the strikes.
The escalation appeared to bolster Netanyahu politically, with a far-right party that had previously withdrawn from his government over the ceasefire announcing its return.
Meanwhile, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a key organization representing hostage families, accused the Israeli government of undermining negotiations. “We are shocked, angry, and terrified by the deliberate dismantling of the process to return our loved ones from the terrible captivity of Hamas,” the group said in a statement. The airstrikes triggered widespread destruction across Gaza, with homes flattened, fires raging in displaced persons’ camps, and shelters—including schools—hit. In Rafah, an airstrike killed 17 members of a single family, including five children and their parents, according to the European Hospital.
“We woke up to an airstrike frenzy. The windows were shaking, the doors flew open,” said Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a volunteer with Medical Aid for Palestinians. “The patients have been flowing in ever since.”
At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, medical staff struggled to cope with the influx of wounded. A young girl was seen crying as doctors treated her injuries, while the pediatric ward was overwhelmed with casualties.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that at least 404 people had been killed and more than 560 wounded. Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the ministry’s records department, stated that 263 of the dead were women or children under 18, describing it as the war’s deadliest day so far.
Since the conflict erupted in October 2023, more than 48,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to local officials. The war began after Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
The White House attributed the renewed fighting to Hamas. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stated that the group “could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.”
An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said the strikes targeted Hamas’ military infrastructure and leadership, with plans to expand the operation beyond air attacks. The official accused Hamas of attempting to regroup and prepare new offensives, a claim that the group has denied.
Meanwhile, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israeli forces carried out raids in several cities, including Nablus and Qalqiliya, detaining at least 13 suspected militants and seizing weapons. The military reported that one militant was killed in the operations.