Israel launches new airstrikes on Gaza, killing at least 235 people after ceasefire talks collapse.

Israel vows to escalate military action against Hamas and Gaza, according to Netanyahu’s office.

Israel launched a significant wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, marking its most intense assault since a ceasefire agreement took effect in January. The strikes targeted dozens of Hamas sites, with the Israeli government asserting that the operation was aimed at weakening the militant group’s infrastructure. At least 235 people, including women and children, were reported killed in the bombardment, according to hospital officials.

The escalation followed the breakdown of talks over extending the ceasefire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes, citing the lack of progress in negotiations to further extend the ceasefire. Officials stated that the operation would be open-ended and may intensify. The White House confirmed that it had been consulted on Israel’s actions, offering its support for the military response.

This sudden escalation shattered a brief period of relative calm during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, raising fears of a full return to conflict in the ongoing 17-month war. The conflict has already claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and caused widespread destruction throughout Gaza.

As the airstrikes continued, concerns mounted over the fate of approximately two dozen Israeli hostages still held by Hamas. These hostages were captured during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis. Hamas condemned the Israeli airstrikes, accusing Netanyahu of breaking the ceasefire agreement and putting the hostages’ lives in jeopardy.

Hamas called on international mediators to hold Israel accountable for violating the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Netanyahu faces growing domestic pressure, with large-scale protests planned in Israel over his handling of the hostage crisis and his controversial decision to fire the head of Israel’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet.

Gaza Hospitals Overwhelmed by Casualties

Reports from Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis described plumes of smoke and explosions as ambulances rushed wounded civilians to overwhelmed hospitals. At Nasser Hospital, patients were treated in hallways due to the large number of casualties. One strike on a home in Rafah claimed the lives of 17 family members, including at least 12 women and children. The hospitals are still searching for survivors, and the death toll is expected to rise.

The strikes come amid an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. After months of intense fighting, the war has displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2 million residents. Though the ceasefire brought temporary relief, many Palestinians, like Nidal Alzaanin, expressed a sense of dread at the return to violence, stating that the people of Gaza have suffered long enough.

US and Israel Accuse Hamas of Holding Hostages Hostage

The White House has largely placed the blame for the renewed violence on Hamas, with National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes accusing the militant group of rejecting ceasefire extensions and hostage releases. US envoy Steve Witkoff, along with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, had previously warned that Hamas must release all living hostages or face severe consequences.

An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, emphasized that Israel’s military operation aimed at targeting Hamas leaders and military infrastructure would likely expand beyond airstrikes in the coming days. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that “the gates of hell will open in Gaza” if the hostages are not released. Katz reaffirmed that Israel would not stop fighting until all hostages were freed and its objectives were met.

Ceasefire Negotiations Stall

The recent strikes come just two months after a temporary ceasefire halted the conflict. During this period, Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. However, negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire have stalled, with no agreement reached on the release of the remaining 59 Israeli hostages or a broader resolution to end the war.

Hamas has demanded that Israel end its military campaign and withdraw its forces from Gaza in exchange for the release of the hostages. On the other hand, Israel insists that the war will not end until Hamas is completely dismantled, and all hostages are freed.

Israel Faces Growing Internal and International Criticism

Internally, Netanyahu’s handling of the war and the hostage situation has led to widespread protests across Israel. Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets, calling for the government to extend the ceasefire and prioritize the safe return of all hostages. Critics have also lashed out at Netanyahu’s decision to remove the head of Israel’s security agency, a move many see as an attempt to shift blame for the government’s failures during the October 7 attack.

Internationally, the situation remains complex. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been attempting to mediate a resolution, but the conflicting demands from Israel and Hamas make a lasting ceasefire appear increasingly unlikely.

As Gaza remains embroiled in violence, the prospects for peace and a resolution to the hostage crisis seem distant, with both sides locked in an increasingly bitter and deadly struggle. The war, which began in October 2023, shows no sign of abating as Israel vows to intensify its military campaign against Hamas while the Palestinian territories continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.

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