Israel launched a series of intense airstrikes on Hamas targets across Gaza on Tuesday, marking the deadliest attack since the ceasefire began on January 19. The strikes, which coincided with Ramadan, killed at least 121 people and injured around 150, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency. Many of the casualties were reported to be women, children, and the elderly. Explosions were heard across northern, central, and southern Gaza, including in Khan Younis and Rafah.

The Israeli military said the operation was ordered after Hamas repeatedly refused to release hostages and rejected mediation efforts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that Israel would now act with "increased military strength" to achieve its war objectives, including the release of all remaining hostages.

Hamas condemned the attack, blaming Netanyahu for violating the ceasefire. The group warned that Israel’s actions had placed hostages in Gaza in further danger.

The renewed fighting follows stalled truce negotiations. Israel sought to extend the first phase of the three-stage ceasefire agreement, while Hamas insisted it would resume releasing hostages only under the second phase, initially set to begin on March 2. Israel also demanded Hamas’s complete demilitarization as a condition for moving forward, a condition the group rejected.

Last week, Hamas proposed releasing American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and the bodies of four hostages in exchange for Israel beginning talks on the next phase of the agreement. Israel dismissed this as “psychological warfare.”

Since the war began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel, retaliatory Israeli strikes have killed over 48,000 Palestinians and injured more than 112,000. The conflict remains at an impasse, with no immediate resolution in sight.

Israel launched a series of intense airstrikes on Hamas targets across Gaza on Tuesday, marking the deadliest attack since the ceasefire began on January 19. The strikes, which coincided with Ramadan, killed at least 121 people and injured around 150, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency. Many of the casualties were reported to be women, children, and the elderly. Explosions were heard across northern, central, and southern Gaza, including in Khan Younis and Rafah.

The Israeli military said the operation was ordered after Hamas repeatedly refused to release hostages and rejected mediation efforts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that Israel would now act with "increased military strength" to achieve its war objectives, including the release of all remaining hostages.

Hamas condemned the attack, blaming Netanyahu for violating the ceasefire. The group warned that Israel’s actions had placed hostages in Gaza in further danger.

The renewed fighting follows stalled truce negotiations. Israel sought to extend the first phase of the three-stage ceasefire agreement, while Hamas insisted it would resume releasing hostages only under the second phase, initially set to begin on March 2. Israel also demanded Hamas’s complete demilitarization as a condition for moving forward, a condition the group rejected.

Last week, Hamas proposed releasing American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and the bodies of four hostages in exchange for Israel beginning talks on the next phase of the agreement. Israel dismissed this as “psychological warfare.”

Since the war began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel, retaliatory Israeli strikes have killed over 48,000 Palestinians and injured more than 112,000. The conflict remains at an impasse, with no immediate resolution in sight.