At least 220 people were killed in Gaza on Tuesday as Israel launched its most extensive strikes since the ceasefire began on January 19. The attacks, which Israel said targeted Hamas, followed the breakdown of truce negotiations.
Gaza&rsquo;s civil defense agency reported that the airstrikes, which came during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, killed &ldquo;mostly children, women, and the elderly&rdquo; and left around 150 others injured. Explosions were reported across northern and southern Gaza, including Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strikes, stating in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that they were &ldquo;conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.&rdquo;
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s office justified the military action, citing Hamas&rsquo;s refusal to release Israeli hostages. &ldquo;The IDF is, at this time, attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip in order to achieve the objectives of the war,&rdquo; it stated.
Hamas condemned the airstrikes, accusing Netanyahu of &ldquo;sacrificing&rdquo; the hostages held in Gaza. &ldquo;Netanyahu&rsquo;s decision to resume war is a decision to sacrifice the occupation&rsquo;s prisoners and impose a death sentence on them,&rdquo; a Hamas official said, alleging that the Israeli leader was using the conflict to divert attention from domestic political challenges.
Ceasefire Talks Break Down
The latest escalation comes after weeks of stalled truce negotiations. Israel had sought to extend the first phase of a three-stage ceasefire agreement until mid-April, insisting that any transition to the second phase include the &ldquo;total demilitarization&rdquo; of Gaza and the removal of Hamas. Hamas, in contrast, had demanded that the second phase begin as planned on March 2 and linked further hostage releases to its implementation.
Last week, Hamas had offered to release American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and four bodies of hostages in exchange for immediate negotiations on the second phase. Israel rejected the proposal, accusing Hamas of &ldquo;psychological warfare&rdquo;.
The initial ceasefire phase saw Hamas release 33 Israeli hostages, including five bodies, along with five Thai nationals, in exchange for approximately 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. The group is still believed to be holding 59 hostages.
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprecedented cross-border attack into southern Israel, has resulted in heavy casualties. Hamas&rsquo;s assault killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and led to the abduction of 251 hostages. In retaliation, Israel&rsquo;s military campaign has killed over 48,000 Palestinians and left more than 112,000 injured, according to local health officials.

A Palestinian boy walks on a street after Israeli airstrikes in Gaza (File Photo)

As ceasefire talks collapse, Netanyahu blames Hamas; group accuses Israel of ‘sacrificing’ hostages

Israel Resumes Gaza Strikes, 220+ Dead

As ceasefire talks collapse, Netanyahu blames Hamas; group accuses Israel of ‘sacrificing’ hostages

March 18, 2025 | 10:25 IST