Gaza truce shattered: Over 310 dead as conflict reignites
As a result of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, over 310 people have been killed, estimates the health ministry of Hamas. The resumption of military actions occurred after an almost two-month truce.
What do you need to know?
- Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip: During the night from Monday to Tuesday, Israeli air forces conducted attacks that resulted in the death of over 310 people, including children.
- Reason for resuming actions: Israel resumed attacks due to the "repeated refusal to release" hostages by Hamas, as confirmed by Israeli authorities.
- Hamas' reaction: Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire and issuing a "death sentence" on the hostages.
Israel resumes attacks
Israeli authorities confirmed that the resumption of attacks on the Gaza Strip is a response to the "repeated refusal to release" hostages by Hamas. "From now on, Israel will act against Hamas with increasing military force," stated the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a communication.
Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire, which had been in force since January. - Netanyahu's decision to return to war is a decision to sacrifice prisoners and issue a death sentence on them. (…) The enemy will not achieve through war and destruction what it has failed to achieve through negotiations - said a member of Hamas' political office, Ezzat al-Rishq, quoted by CNN.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that in the Gaza Strip "the gates of hell will open," and Hamas will be struck with a force "never seen before." - We will not stop fighting until all hostages return home, and all war goals are achieved - he added.
Hundreds of casualties in the Gaza Strip
The Israel Defence Forces conducted dozens of strikes in various parts of the Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas commanders and infrastructure controlled by this group. The truce, which had been in effect since 19 January, formally expired in early March, and negotiations to extend it were unsuccessful. The conflict in the Gaza Strip has been ongoing since October 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people.
Among the victims of Tuesday's attack is Hamas' Deputy Minister of Interior Mahmoud Abu Watfa - reports the Al Arabiya channel.
Dr Razan Al-Nahhas, a volunteer with the organisation Humanity Auxilium at Al-Ahli hospital, said the bombings began at about 1 AM Greenwich Time, and since then, more patients have continuously arrived at the clinic.
Al-Nahhas described the experience as utterly terrifying, emphasizing that nothing he had encountered before compared to it. She recounted hearing multiple explosions within just a few minutes, highlighting the intense and overwhelming nature of the situation.
The majority of those killed are women and children. The doctor estimates there are at least 50 bodies, many merely wrapped in blankets. She admitted losing track of how many patients she had pronounced dead, suggesting the number could be between 15 and 20.
