Israel hits Gaza with new aerial attacks that kill at least 200 after armistice discussions

Deir Al-Balah, Gaza Strip (AP) -israel launched a wave of air attacks along the Gaza strip Tuesday early, saying that he hit dozens of targets in Hamas in his hardest attack on the territory, since an cessation of fire came into force. Palestinian officials reported at least 200 deaths.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the strikes due to the lack of progress in the discussions for the extension of the fire. Officials said the operation was open and was expected to expand. The White House said it was consulted and expressed support for the actions of Israel.

“Israel will act, from now on, against Hamas with an increasing military power,” said Netanyahu office.

The surprise attack shattered a period of relative calm during the Holy Muslim month of Ramadan and raised the prospect of a complete return to a 17-month war that killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and caused wide -scale destruction in Gaza. Raised questions about fate and About two dozen Israeli hostages held by Hamas who is believed to be still alive.

Hamas accused Netanyahu of supporting the fire termination agreement and exposed the hostages “to an unknown fate”. In a statement, he asked the mediators to hold Israel “fully responsible for violating and overturning the agreement.”

In the south of Khan Younis, associated press reporters have seen explosions and smoke feathers. The ambulances brought injured people to the Nasser Hospital, where the patients were on the floor, some scream. A young boy sat with a bandage around his head, while a health worker checked several wounds, a young woman cried as her bloody arm was bandaged.

Many Palestinians said they expected to return to war when discussions about the second phase of fire did not start as it was scheduled in early February. Israel instead hugged an alternative proposal and Turn all food deliveries, fuel and other aids At the 2 million Palestinians of the territory to try to press Hamas to accept it.

“No one wants to fight,” said the phone in Gaza, the Palestinian resident, Nidal Alzaanin. “Everyone still suffers from the previous months,” he said.

The White House sought to blame Hamas for renewed struggles. The spokesman of the National Security Council, Brian Hughes, said that the militant group “could have released the hostages to expand the cessation of fire, but instead chose the refusal and the war.”

American envoy Steve Witkoff, who led the mediation efforts with Egypt and Qatar, warned that Hamas must release live hostages immediately “or pay a severe price.”

An Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the operating operation, said that Israel hit the military, leaders and infrastructure of the Hamas and intends to expand the operation beyond the air attacks. The official accused Hamas of trying to rebuild and plan new attacks. Hamas militants and security forces quickly returned to the streets In recent weeks after the ceasefire has entered into force.

The Minister of Defense of Israel, Israel Katz, said that “the gates of hell will open in Gaza” if the hostages are not released. “We will not stop fighting until all our hostages are not at home and we have achieved all the war objectives,” he said.

Explosions could be heard throughout the gaza. Khalil degranan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health based at the Al-Aqsa Martyr Hospital in the Central Gaza, said at least 200 people were killed. The Civil Defense Agency said that its crews had a difficult time to make rescue efforts, because various areas were targeted simultaneously.

The strikes came two months after the fire ended to stop the war. Over six weeks, Hamas has launched 25 Israeli hostages and bodies still eight in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in a first phase of ceasing fire.

But, since that cessation ended two weeks ago, the parties have failed to agree on a way to follow a second phase aimed at issuing the 59 remaining hostages, of which 35 is believed to be dead and end the war with everything.

Hamas demanded the cessation of the war and the complete withdrawal of the Israeli troops in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. Israel says he will not put an end to the war until he destroys Hamas’s government and military capabilities and releases all the hostages.

Netanyahu repeatedly threatened to resume the war.

“This comes after Hamas has repeatedly refused to free us and rejected all the offers he received from the US presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff and from mediators,” said Netanyahu Bureau on Tuesday.

Taher Nunu, a Hamas official, criticized Israeli attacks. “The international community is facing a moral test: either it allows the return of crimes committed by the occupation army, or applies a commitment to end the aggression and war against innocent people in Gaza,” he said.