Israel launched a broad wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, abruptly ending a period of relative calm created by the ceasefire that began on January 19. Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 404 Palestinians were killed and 562 wounded, with more people believed to be trapped beneath rubble. The ministry said many of the dead were children.
The attacks were reported in Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, Gaza City in the north, and central areas including Deir el-Balah. Rescue crews faced simultaneous emergencies across the territory. An earlier Associated Press count, based on four hospitals receiving bodies during the unfolding assault, put the death toll at 69, illustrating how quickly the reported number rose as casualties reached medical facilities.
Israel said it was targeting Hamas leaders, military sites and infrastructure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he ordered renewed military action after negotiations failed to produce further hostage releases or an extension of the ceasefire. Israeli officials described the operation as open-ended and said it could expand beyond air attacks. Defence Minister Israel Katz said military action would continue until the hostages returned and Israel's war objectives were achieved.
Hamas characterized the strikes as a unilateral cancellation of the truce and warned that renewed fighting endangered the remaining hostages. The group has demanded a permanent end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for their release. Israel has rejected ending the campaign before it dismantles Hamas's governing and military capacity and frees all hostages.
The ceasefire's first phase had lasted six weeks. During that period, Hamas released roughly three dozen hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Talks on a second phase, intended to address the remaining captives and a lasting end to the war, had stalled. Israel had also stopped food and aid deliveries into Gaza earlier in March as pressure on Hamas increased.
The renewed bombardment raised the prospect of a return to sustained war in a territory already devastated by 17 months of fighting. Palestinian health officials had recorded more than 48,000 deaths since Israel began its offensive following Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in approximately 250 hostages being taken. Gaza's Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its overall toll.
With many displaced residents having returned to damaged neighbourhoods during the truce, another prolonged campaign threatened both additional civilian casualties and a renewed deterioration in humanitarian conditions. It also intensified the dispute inside Israel over whether continued military pressure or further negotiations offered the best chance of bringing the remaining hostages home.
