Israel killed Hamas leaders in the biggest attacks since the beginning of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and signaled the resumption of war. The Israeli government has stated that it will maintain the offensive in the coming days while Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said this is only the beginning and that negotiations for the release of hostages will now be conducted under fire.
“We fight again. “From now on, negotiations will only be conducted under fire,” followed the prime minister, adding that “it’s just the beginning.”
“Israel will fight and will win. We will bring our people back home and we will destroy Hamas.
Prior to Netanyahu’s pronouncement, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that the offensive continues. “We hit Hamas and other terrorist targets in Gaza.
Israel also announced that they killed four Hamas leaders in large-scale bombing that hit the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, 18. The list includes this al-Da’alis, described by the Israeli army with “responsible for the operation of the Hamas terrorist regime in Gaza.” The other three, according to Israel, would be members of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice and the Internal Security Service.
Hamas, on the other hand, said six leaders were killed in the attacks. The terrorist group accuses Israel of “nullifying the ceasefire agreement” and exposing the hostages held in Gaza to an “unknown destination.”
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‘Rekindled hell in Gaza’
At the Palestinian enclave, the intensity of the offensive remembered the early days of the war, when Israel launched relentless bombings in response to Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. “All Gaza Tremeu,” said Ramez Souri, a resident of the city of Gaza.
The Ministry of Health reported that the attacks left at least 413 dead. And the Palestinian Enclave Emergency Service said 170 children and 80 women were among the victims.
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Tanya-Haj Hassan, a Canadian volunteer of the Medical Aid for Palestinians group who works in Khan Youis, said the vast majority of their patients were women and children. “There were three men in the emergency room in total,” she said, who featured at least 30 women and children in the resuscitation area during her shift.
There are reports of bodies scattered throughout the streets and hospitals without capacity to serve the victims. “The injured do not find a doctor who meets them,” said Ramiz Al Amarin, a dislocated Palestinian, at Al Ahli Hospital in the city of Gaza. “They rekindled the fire of hell.”
The 25 -year -old Palestinian reports that he woke up startled by the explosions. “I transported several children from my neighbors who were injured,” the report follows, “but there are no beds to receive them.”
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In his speech, Binyamin Netanyahu said Palestinian civilians are not the target of Israel and should move to safe areas. “We aim at Hamas terrorists. And when these terrorists infiltrate civilian areas, when they use civilians like human shields, they are responsible for all victims.”
The army of Israel has issued orders for civilians to leave several areas of the Gaza track along the border, suggesting that the surprise offensive could become a long campaign when the new terrestrial invasion fears increase in the Palestinian enclave. In an Arabic publication, Armed Forces spokesman Avichay Adraee ordered people to move towards the center of Gaza, decimated by war.
Impasse on ceasefire
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The ceasefire that interrupted 15 months of conflict came into force in January and would be divided into three stages. The first, closed earlier this month, predicted the break in the fighting and the exchange of Israeli hostages to Palestinian prisoners.
In the second phase, the release of more hostages and the removal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip was expected. But both sides have never reached consensus on how to advance to maintain the deal. Even so, the fragile ceasefire remained-until this Tuesday.
The mediators sought a way out of the impasse, but the Israeli leaders were not willing to end the war while the terrorist group kept dominance over Palestinian territory. Hamas signaled that it could commit to civil control, but also showed little willingness to dissolve military battalions.
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Israel suggested that Hamas release half of the remaining hostages in exchange for the promise of negotiating a lasting truce. Instead, Hamas insisted on maintaining the initial version of the deal and moving to the second step, which now seems increasingly distant.
“Hamas’s insistence on keeping hostages as the advantage and political refusal of Netanyahu in continuing phase two of the ceasefire, which demanded the end of the war and the liberation of all living hostages, led to this climb,” said Daniel Shapiro, a former US-emblaster in Israel.
In his speech, Netanyahu countered the critics and blamed Hamas. “Hamas has refused offer after offer to release our hostages. “While Israel accepted the offer of the American envoy Steve Witkoff, Hamas categorically refused.
Hostages and family criticize attacks
In Israel, the resumption of fighting was criticized by opposition leaders, former reprints and family members of those who remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of another 35.
“My heart is broken, shattered and disappointed,” wrote Emily Damari, a hostage released during the ceasefire earlier this year. “We will continue to fight nonstop and we will do everything we can to bring them back,” he followed, addressing the hostages.
“And those who were left behind? Were they forgotten again? “It’s impossible to move on while they are rotting in hell.”
Einav Zangauker, accused the prime minister of prioritizing his far-right allies, who opposed ceasefire, “instead of our captive children” and blamed Netanyahu for “violating the agreement and planning a return to war-a war that will kill the hostages.” His daughter, Matan, is among those who would still be alive in captivity.
The hostage and missing families forum said in a statement on Tuesday that it was “shocked, outraged and deeply distressed by the deliberate breakup of the process to bring our loved ones back from the terrible captive of Hamas.”
In response to criticism of the hostage liberation movement, Netanyahu said in his speech that “hitting hamas militarily and releasing our hostages are not contradictory goals, they are interconnected.”
(With international agencies)
