Over 400 Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza, Threatening Ceasefire and Escalating Tensions

Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of over 400 individuals in Gaza, as reported by Palestinian health authorities, jeopardizing the continuation of a two-month ceasefire. Israel has pledged to intensify its military actions to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, which continues to hold 59 out of the 250 hostages taken during its October 7, 2023, assault on Israel. The Palestinian militant group accused Israel of violating the ceasefire and undermining efforts by mediators to establish a lasting peace agreement.
In response to Hamas’ refusal to release the remaining hostages and their rejection of ceasefire proposals, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to take “strong action” against the group. The Israeli military characterized the airstrikes as a “preemptive offensive” aimed at hindering Hamas’ capacity to launch further attacks against Israel and to prevent the group from rearming. The strikes targeted mid-level military commanders, leadership figures, and terrorist infrastructure.
The airstrikes also affected civilian areas, including homes and tent settlements across Gaza, with Israeli tanks shelling the enclave. Many residents, including a 65-year-old mother from Gaza City, described the attacks as a return to the intense fighting seen at the onset of the conflict.
Netanyahu has committed to eliminating Hamas, though the group, despite significant weakening due to ongoing Israeli military operations, remains the primary power in Gaza. Among those killed were prominent Hamas officials, including Essam Addalees, the head of the Hamas government, and Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the deputy interior minister.
Egypt, a key mediator in the ceasefire agreement, has called for restraint and emphasized the importance of pursuing a long-term peace agreement. Tensions in the Middle East have escalated, with the conflict spreading to Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. Israeli media reported that shelters were being prepared in Tel Aviv in anticipation of potential retaliation.
The recent airstrikes were far more extensive than Israel’s usual drone strikes and followed multiple unsuccessful attempts to extend the ceasefire reached in January. Hospitals in Gaza, overwhelmed by the influx of casualties, reported 404 fatalities, many of whom were children, with 562 others injured. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened as Israel has halted aid deliveries for over two weeks.
In addition to the airstrikes, the Israeli military has continued operations in the occupied West Bank and launched attacks in southern Lebanon and Syria, targeting Iranian-backed militant groups. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, held in Doha, have stalled, as Hamas insists on moving toward a permanent resolution of the conflict, including the full withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Hamas has expressed a desire to implement the original terms of the ceasefire, and Egyptian mediators are urgently working to revive the peace talks following the recent escalation. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, after a Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities, has resulted in over 48,000 deaths in Gaza and the widespread destruction of the region’s infrastructure, including its hospitals.