By Blessing Nweke
The Israeli military has announced it is conducting a series of “extensive strikes” across the Gaza Strip, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting at least 220 Palestinian fatalities. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the attacks are targeting what they describe as “terror targets” belonging to Hamas, including the alleged death of Mahmoud Abu Wafah, Gaza’s deputy interior minister and a senior Hamas security official, in one of the strikes.
The airstrikes, the largest since the ceasefire began on January 19, mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. Despite efforts to extend the ceasefire, talks between Israel and Hamas have collapsed, with both sides failing to reach an agreement. The attacks began early Tuesday morning, coinciding with the pre-dawn meal of Ramadan, according to local witnesses. Over 20 Israeli warplanes reportedly flew over Gaza, hitting targets across Gaza City, Rafah, and Khan Younis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz authorized the strikes following Hamas’s refusal to release Israeli hostages and its rejection of proposals made by US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and other mediators. In response, Israel’s government vowed to intensify its military actions against Hamas.
Hamas has condemned the airstrikes as a breach of the ceasefire, accusing Israel of betrayal and warning that the fate of remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza could be in jeopardy. However, Hamas has stopped short of declaring the war resumed, instead calling for international mediation.
The latest round of hostilities began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages. The conflict has since claimed the lives of more than 48,500 Palestinians, with widespread destruction in Gaza, including the collapse of infrastructure and essential services.
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