Israeli strikes kill over 300, ceasefire collapses

Israel launched a large-scale assault on Gaza early Tuesday, effectively ending a fragile ceasefire that had been in place since January 19.

The renewed strikes, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a response to Hamas’s refusal to release captives, killed more than 300 Palestinians, including women and children, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office.

Israeli warplanes and drones struck multiple locations across the besieged enclave, targeting residential buildings, makeshift shelters, and infrastructure. The military said it was conducting “extensive strikes on terror targets” linked to Hamas and warned that the operation would continue with “increasing military strength.”

Hamas, which governs Gaza, accused Israel of unilaterally overturning the ceasefire agreement. “Netanyahu and his extremist government have sabotaged all efforts to maintain the truce, exposing prisoners in Gaza to an uncertain fate,” the group said in a statement.