Israel launched a series of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing more than 400 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and effectively ending a ceasefire that had been in place since January. The strikes marked the deadliest bombardment in the 17-month conflict with Hamas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the airstrikes following Hamas’ refusal to accept Israel’s demands to modify the ceasefire agreement. Officials described the operation as open-ended, with expectations that it would escalate further. The White House confirmed it had been consulted beforehand and expressed support for Israel’s actions.
The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for residents in eastern Gaza, directing them toward the center of the territory, signaling the possibility of renewed ground operations.
This latest offensive comes as humanitarian organizations warn that Gaza’s 2 million residents are facing severe shortages of essential supplies after Israel cut off food, medicine, fuel, and other goods two weeks ago.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu’s office stated.
The airstrikes, launched during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, raised concerns that the war could fully resume, deepening the already devastating toll on Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed. Additionally, there is growing anxiety over the fate of the roughly two dozen Israeli hostages still believed to be alive and held by Hamas.
The renewed assault on Hamas, a group backed by Iran, coincides with increased military activity by both the U.S. and Israel across the region.
This week, the U.S. conducted deadly strikes against Iran-aligned rebels in Yemen, while Israel has launched attacks on Iran-supported militants in Lebanon and Syria.
A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Risheq, condemned Netanyahu’s decision to restart military operations, calling it a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages.
He accused Netanyahu of reigniting the conflict to secure his far-right coalition and urged mediators to “reveal facts” about who was responsible for breaking the truce. Hamas reported that at least six senior officials were killed in Tuesday’s airstrikes.
There were no immediate reports of retaliatory attacks from Hamas in the hours following the Israeli bombardment.
Domestic Pressure and Political Fallout
The strikes come at a time of growing domestic scrutiny of Netanyahu’s leadership. Mass protests are planned in response to his handling of the hostage crisis and his recent decision to dismiss the head of Israel’s internal security agency. His scheduled testimony in a long-running corruption trial was canceled due to the strikes.
Politically, Netanyahu appeared to benefit from the escalation. A far-right party that had previously withdrawn from his government over the ceasefire announced Tuesday that it was rejoining the coalition.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main group representing hostage families, issued a scathing statement accusing the government of undermining the ceasefire.
“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.
Wounded Flood Gaza Hospitals
The airstrikes targeted homes, ignited fires in a tent camp for displaced people outside Khan Younis, and struck at least one school-turned-shelter.
After two months of relative calm under the ceasefire, many Palestinians once again found themselves searching through rubble for survivors and holding funeral prayers at hospital morgues.
“Nobody wants to fight,” said Nidal Alzaanin, a Gaza City resident, speaking to the Associated Press. “Everyone is still suffering from the previous months.”
One airstrike on a home in Rafah killed 17 members of the same family, according to the European Hospital, where the bodies were taken. The victims included five children, their parents, and another father along with his three children.
At Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital, the chaotic scene saw patients lying on the floor, some screaming in pain. A young girl wept as her wounded arm was bandaged, while overwhelmed doctors struggled to treat the influx of casualties.
“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.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that at least 404 people were killed and more than 560 injured in the airstrikes. Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the ministry’s records department, said 263 of those killed were women or children under 18. He described it as the deadliest day in Gaza since the war began.
The overall death toll in Gaza has surpassed 48,500 since the conflict started, with an estimated 90% of the population displaced, according to local health officials. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants but reports that over half of the casualties have been women and children.
The war began when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Since then, most hostages have been released through ceasefire agreements or other negotiations, while Israeli forces have rescued only eight and recovered dozens of bodies.
U.S. Stands with Israel, Holds Hamas Responsible
The White House placed the blame for the renewed hostilities on Hamas. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stated that the militant group “could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.”
However, the ceasefire agreement, which the U.S. helped broker, did not require Hamas to release more hostages in order to extend the pause in fighting beyond its first phase.
An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said the country was targeting Hamas’ military leadership and infrastructure and that the campaign would soon expand beyond airstrikes. The official accused Hamas of attempting to regroup and plan new attacks, though Hamas denied these allegations.
Meanwhile, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israeli forces conducted raids in Nablus, Qalqiliya, and other areas, arresting at least 13 suspected militants and seizing weapons. One militant was reportedly killed.
Breakdown of the Ceasefire Agreement
The ceasefire, which began in mid-January, initially resulted in Hamas releasing 25 hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for more than 1,700 Palestinian prisoners as part of the first phase.
However, negotiations for a second phase broke down when Israel refused to proceed with talks unless Hamas first released half of the remaining hostages. Under the original agreement, the second phase was expected to secure the release of the 24 living hostages and bring about an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas insisted on following the original terms, while Israel demanded a partial hostage release in exchange for a temporary truce extension with no firm commitment to a permanent ceasefire. When Hamas refused, Israel resumed its military campaign.
Although sporadic clashes had occurred during the ceasefire, including Israeli forces killing dozens of Palestinians who allegedly entered restricted areas, the truce had largely held. Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. had been working to mediate further negotiations before the renewed hostilities.
Israel has vowed to continue the war until Hamas’ governing and military structures are completely dismantled and all hostages are freed—two objectives that may not be fully compatible.
By fully resuming hostilities, Netanyahu avoids difficult political compromises tied to the second phase of the ceasefire and the contentious issue of who will govern Gaza after the war.
Additionally, the move strengthens his coalition, which includes far-right lawmakers who advocate for depopulating Gaza and rebuilding Jewish settlements there. This was evident with the return of Itamar Ben-Gvir and his far-right party to Netanyahu’s government on Tuesday.
Mounting Criticism of Netanyahu
Many of the freed hostages, some severely malnourished, have publicly urged the government to pursue a ceasefire to secure the release of those still in captivity. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in mass protests calling for an end to the war.
Further demonstrations are expected Tuesday and Wednesday following Netanyahu’s announcement of his plan to fire the head of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency. Critics argue the move is an attempt to deflect blame for his government’s failures on October 7 and throughout the war.