On Tuesday (March 18), the Israeli army launched extensive airstrikes on the northern and central Gaza Strip, signaling the most significant escalation since the ceasefire, according to local sources and eyewitness accounts.
Palestinian medical and security sources reported to Xinhua that Israeli warplanes conducted unprecedented raids, resulting in multiple explosions across various areas of northern and central Gaza. The strikes have reportedly led to the deaths of over 200 Palestinians in the region.
The Palestinian Civil Defense issued an initial statement indicating that Israeli aircraft targeted homes, mosques, schools, and shelters, causing substantial casualties. The civil defense teams noted they were facing considerable challenges due to the scale and number of simultaneous strikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that he and Defense Minister Israel Katz had ordered the military to intensify operations against Hamas. This decision was made in response to what was described as Hamas's "repeated refusal to release hostages" and its rejection of proposals from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and other mediators.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they were conducting "extensive strikes" on Hamas targets, under an operational plan approved by political leadership over the weekend. Katz warned that if Hamas fails to release all hostages, "the gates of hell will open in Gaza," and that Hamas will face an unprecedented intensity from the Israeli military.
Israel's state-owned Army Radio reported that these developments suggest the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which came into effect on January 19, has effectively "collapsed."
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