Israel Launches Major Assault on Gaza, Shattering Ceasefire, Killing Hundreds

A massive Israeli assault on Gaza has left at least 342 Palestinians dead, including many children, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, as per Al Jazeera.

The strikes, launched Tuesday, effectively shattered the fragile two-month-old ceasefire with Hamas, which began on January 19.

The attacks targeted locations across the Gaza Strip, including Khan Younis and Rafah in the south, Gaza City in the north, and central areas such as Deir el-Balah.

Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, condemned the Israeli action as a unilateral cancellation of the ceasefire.

“Netanyahu and his extremist government are making a decision to overturn the ceasefire agreement, exposing prisoners in Gaza to an unknown fate,” the group stated.

Hamas called for widespread protests in Arab and Islamic nations, and among “free people of the world.”

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) accused Israel of “deliberately sabotaging all efforts to reach a ceasefire.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he ordered the military to take “strong action” against Hamas due to the group’s refusal to release remaining captives taken from Israel or agree to extend the ceasefire. The Israeli military confirmed it was conducting “extensive strikes on terror targets” belonging to Hamas via its Telegram channel.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Israel consulted with United States President Donald Trump prior to the strikes.

Negotiations regarding the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which aimed to secure the release of nearly 60 remaining captives and establish a permanent cessation of hostilities, had reached a standstill. A key point of contention was Israel’s demand to extend the first stage of the agreement until mid-April. Since the start of the ceasefire, Hamas had released approximately three dozen captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

While Israel has not formally declared an end to the ceasefire, senior officials have indicated the assault on Gaza will continue.

Israeli Minister of Defence Israel Katz warned that the “gates of hell” would open in the enclave if the remaining captives were not released.

The current escalation follows Israel’s 18-month war on Gaza, which has devastated the territory, leaving homes, hospitals, and schools in ruins. According to Palestinian health authorities, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 48,000 people in Gaza.