Israel’s military early Tuesday said it was “conducting extensive strikes” against Hamas targets in Gaza, further straining an increasingly fragile ceasefire between Israel and the militant group.
The Israel Defense Forces were striking Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip, with the aim of “the release of all our hostages — living and dead,” the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
“From now on, Israel will act against Hamas with increasing military force,” it said.
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said dozens of people have been killed and wounded, and that there have been more than 35 attacks on homes.
“Our crews are unable to deal with the attacks due to limited resources and the dangerous situation,” Basal said. “We call on the world to stop this aggression.”
The strikes were the heaviest Israeli military bombardment in Gaza since the ceasefire deal was reached in January.
U.S. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News that the Trump administration and the White House had been consulted by Israel about the strikes on Gaza.
The latest Israeli military action follows separate Israeli strikes that, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, killed at least 14 people in 24 hours over the weekend. The ministry reported the deaths in a statement Sunday.
The IDF said Saturday that it had identified two Hamas operatives “operating a drone that posed a threat to IDF troops” and saw others collecting drone-operating equipment.
A ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Hamas in January, the Biden administration announced at the time. Since then, there have been accusations of breaches by both sides.
The first phase of the deal — which included the release of hostages held by Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel — expired this month. The second phase, designed for the release of male hostages, is intended to initiate talks for a long-term end to the war.
Netanyahu’s office in Tuesday’s statement said that the prime miniters and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz instructed the military “to act forcefully against the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.”
“This, after Hamas repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all offers it received from the US presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff, and from the mediators,” Netanyahu’s office said.
International negotiators have been engaging in talks in hopes of strengthening the ceasefire deal.
Witkoff, the United States special envoy to the Middle East, on CNN on Sunday dismissed a proposal response by Hamas.
“The Hamas proposal is a nonstarter,” Witkoff said on the “State of the Union” program. He said the U.S. favored a “bridge” proposal that would include the release of five living hostages in return for the release of a “substantial” number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
“I’m not going to go into the specific details of what made it unacceptable, but it was totally unacceptable,” he said.
In Gaza, explosions could be heard at various locations and ambulances were arriving at Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, The Associated Press reported.
Hamas said Israel’s government was responsible for an “unprovoked escalation” against Palestinians.
Netanyahu’s office said that the military plan was presented late last week by the IDF and “approved by the political echelon.”
The Associated Press contributed.
