Israeli airstrikes reignite conflict in Gaza, over 220 killed

Israeli authorities emphasized that the large-scale strikes are aimed at the civilian and military hierarchy of Hamas and are a consequence of the "repeated refusal to release" hostages held by that group.

Israel will henceforth act against Hamas with increased military strength, stated a communiqué from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

In turn, Hamas accused Israel of violating the January truce and issuing a "death sentence" on hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip.

- Netanyahu's decision to return to war is a decision to sacrifice prisoners and issue a death sentence on them. The enemy will not achieve through war and destruction what it failed to achieve through negotiations - said Ezzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas's political bureau, quoted by CNN.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated after the resumption of attacks that the "gates of hell will open" in the Gaza Strip, and Hamas will be hit with a force "never seen before," reported the Times of Israel.

- Tonight we returned to fighting in Gaza in light of Hamas’s refusal to release the hostages and amid its threats to harm IDF soldiers and Israeli communities. We will not stop fighting until all of the hostages return home and all the war’s aims are achieved, he added.

- The Trump administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza tonight. As President Trump has made it clear - Hamas, the Houthis, Iran, all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel, but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay. All hell will break loose - declared White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.

The Israeli Defense Forces announced that they conducted dozens of strikes in various parts of the Gaza Strip. Their targets were mid-level Hamas commanders, members of its political bureau, and infrastructure controlled by the group.

Earlier, the Israeli military announced that it detected Hamas preparations for attacks against Israel and efforts aimed at "regrouping and rearming."

The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was in effect from January 19. Although Israeli forces still conducted attacks that resulted in deaths almost daily, these were not on such a large scale, and regular fighting had ceased. In total, over nearly two months, around 150 people were killed.

The first phase of the ceasefire formally expired at the beginning of March. During negotiations in Cairo, Israel and the USA sought to extend the truce in exchange for the release of more Hamas hostages. Hamas demanded the initiation of the talks for a permanent end to the war, as stipulated in the original agreement timeline.

The war in the Gaza Strip broke out after a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 251 were taken hostage. Twenty-four hostages remain alive in captivity. Hamas is also holding the bodies of 35 abducted. In the Israeli retaliatory operation, over 48,000 Gaza Strip residents were killed. Palestinian territory is devastated, and the majority of its 2.1 million residents have become internal refugees.