Israel breaks Gaza ceasefire - what you need to know

No time? blue News summarizes for you

• The Israeli army has broken the ceasefire and attacked the Gaza Strip because Hamas is allegedly not budging on the release of hostages.
• Hamas has reported at least 330 dead so far. It probably still has 24 hostages alive.
• The USA was apparently informed of the airstrikes in advance.

Summary created with

Around two months after the start of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israel's army has resumed massive attacks on the Islamist Hamas in the coastal region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz had instructed the armed forces to act "with force" against Hamas, the army announced last night.

Extensive attacks against the terrorist organization are currently being carried out throughout the Gaza Strip, the military announced. According to the civil defense in Gaza, more than 330 Palestinians were killed and dozens more were injured.

These were the heaviest air strikes carried out by Israel in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire came into force. The reason for this was Hamas' "repeated refusal to release our hostages and its rejection of all the proposals it has received from the US President's envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators", the Israeli Prime Minister's office said last night.

Netanyahu and his "extremist government" had decided to "break" the ceasefire agreement, Hamas said in an overnight statement. Israel was thus risking the lives of the hostages. Hamas called on the mediators Egypt, Qatar and the USA to hold Israel "responsible for the breach" of the agreement.

US government informed in advance

Netanyahu had repeatedly declared that Israel would achieve all of its war aims in Gaza. This includes the complete destruction of Hamas and the release of all remaining hostages. According to reports, the US government was informed of the airstrikes in advance.

Almost two weeks ago, Donald Trump attempted to further increase the pressure on Hamas with an ultimate "final warning". Hamas must immediately release all Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip and hand over all the bodies of murdered Israelis "or it's over for you", he wrote on his Truth Social platform at the time.

From now on, "increasing military strength" will be used against Hamas, the Israeli army announced that night. The operational plan was presented by the army leadership at the end of last week and approved by the political leadership, it said. An initial six-week ceasefire was agreed between Israel and Hamas in January. So far, neither side has been able to agree on the conditions for an extension.

Attacks even during the ceasefire

Israel had threatened to resume the war if Hamas did not release any more Israeli hostages. Even during the ceasefire, there were repeated deadly attacks in the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli information, Hamas and other Islamists are still holding 24 hostages and the bodies of 35 abductees.

A Palestinian family prepares their dinner in the rubble in Jabalia on March 17.

KEYSTONE

The war was triggered by the attack on Israel by Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 Israelis were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip.

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According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 48,500 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since then, including many women and minors. The figures, which do not distinguish between fighters and civilians, cannot be independently verified. Israel speaks of around 20,000 terrorists killed.