Gaza’s Ministry of Health said at least 200 people were killed in fresh air strikes in Israel early Tuesday morning.
Israel launched a wave of Sina air strikes on the Gaza Strip, which has attacked the territory with the heaviest Hamas position since the ceasefire in January.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered a strike due to ongoing talks to expand progress to the ceasefire. It is unclear whether the action was a one-time stress strategy or whether it was a complete recovery of the 17-month-old war.
“This is after Hamas repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all the proposals received by U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Vikov and mediators,” Netanyahu’s office said.
Taher Nunu, an official from Hamas, criticized the new Israeli attack and said: “The international community faces a moral test: either allow crimes committed by the occupying forces to return, or commit a commitment to end the aggression and war against the innocent people of Gaza,” he said.
In Gaza, explosions were heard at multiple locations and ambulances arrived at Al AQSA Hospital in central Gaza.
These strikes occurred two months after the ceasefire and war pause. Hamas released about three hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners over six weeks.
However, since the first phase of the ceasefire ended two weeks ago, neither side was able to reach an agreement in the second phase, aiming to release the remaining 60 hostages and end the war. Netanyahu repeatedly threatened to resume conflict, putting pressure on Hamas earlier this month by sending all food and aid into surrounded territory.
(with AP input)
