Israel resumes war in Gaza with a series of massive airstrikes against Hamas
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Injured Palestinians being brought to the al-Nasser Hospital, as Israel launches large-scale airstrikes across Gaza on Tuesday. Photo: Abdallah F.s. Alattar/Anadolu via Getty Images
Israel resumed the war in Gaza with a series of massive airstrikes against what it described as Hamas targets all across the enclave overnight.
The latest: More than 400 Palestinians were killed in the airstrikes, per the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza.
- White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes told Axios, "Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war."
The big picture: The strikes come exactly two months after the signing of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal that the Biden administration brokered with the help of the incoming Trump administration.
- Last week, the Trump administration tried to extend the ceasefire and presented a proposal to the parties. But the talks in Doha ended without a breakthrough and with the White House saying Hamas rejected the proposal.
Driving the news: The airstrikes began around 2am Tuesday local time. The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet domestic security agency said in a joint statement that they started attacking numerous Hamas targets in the Gaza strip.
- Two Israeli officials told Axios that Israel notified the Trump administration in advance of the airstrikes and briefed it on the objectives.
- More than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to the Gaza health ministry. The fighting began after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The latest: On Tuesday, Israel's ultranationalist "Jewish Power" party headed by Itamar Ben Gvir announced it is rejoining the government. The party left the coalition in mid-January in protest over the ceasefire agreement.
Zoom in: An Israeli official said the targets included mid-level Hamas commanders, senior officials in Hamas' political wing and Hamas' military infrastructure.
- The Israeli official claimed that in recent days during the ceasefire, Hamas prepared to carry out new attacks against Israel and took steps to rearm.
- The official said the IDF kept the operational plan top secret within a relatively small circle in order to surprise Hamas.
What they're saying: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the decision to resume the war was taken "after Hamas refused time and again to release our hostages and rejected all the proposals in has been given by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and by the Qatari and Egyptian mediators."
- The prime minister's office said that Israel is going to increase the power of its military operation against Hamas.
Hamas said in a statement that the Israeli government "decided to overturn the ceasefire agreement" and warned that this move exposes the remaining hostages in Gaza "to an unknown fate."
- "We demand that the mediators hold Netanyahu fully responsible for violating and overturning the ceasefire agreement," Hamas said.
Behind the scenes: The prime minister's office said the IDF operational plan for the airstrikes was approved last weekend by Netanyahu and a group of senior ministers.
- Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu held a series of security meetings with the heads of the IDF and the security services to make the final decision about the timing of the strike.
Go deeper: Justice Department, FBI launch task force to investigate Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Editor's note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
