Ceasefire Collapses: Israel Resumes Airstrikes on Gaza as Hostage Negotiations Fail
The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has crumbled, with Israeli fighter jets launching a series of strikes across the Gaza Strip. The renewed conflict follows the collapse of hostage negotiations, with Israeli officials asserting that Hamas repeatedly rejected offers to release the remaining captives.
According to hospital officials in Gaza, at least 326 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes. The resumption of hostilities marks a dangerous escalation in the conflict, raising concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the prospects for a lasting resolution.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the commencement of operations, stating that they are targeting Hamas terrorist infrastructure across Gaza. The stated objective is to achieve the war goals set by the Israeli political leadership, which include the release of all hostages, both living and deceased.
"This decision comes after Hamas repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all proposals presented by U.S. President’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, as well as the mediators," a letter from the office of Defense Minister Israel Katz explained. The letter emphasizes the perceived intransigence of Hamas in the hostage negotiations as the catalyst for the renewed military action.
Adding a somber note to the unfolding events, the remains of Shiri Bibas, a mother of two allegedly killed while held hostage, were reportedly returned to Israel after Hamas purportedly broke its promise regarding her fate.
The Israeli government has vowed to intensify its military actions against Hamas in the coming days. "Under the direction of the political echelon, the IDF and Shin Bet are widely attacking terrorist targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip," a joint statement from the IDF and Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, stated.
According to an Israeli official speaking to Fox News, the IDF launched a series of preemptive strikes targeting mid-ranking military commanders, leadership officials, and terrorist infrastructure belonging to Hamas. The official indicated that the military offensive would continue "as long as necessary" and would expand beyond air strikes.
The IDF asserts that dozens of targets were selected based on intelligence regarding Hamas’s readiness to execute terror attacks and rebuild its military capabilities. Following a situational assessment by Defense Minister Katz and IDF officials, a decision was made to keep schools and educational institutions closed in the Gaza Envelope, the area bordering the Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the airstrikes were initiated after Hamas "rejected all offers it received" from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and other mediators.
Prior to the resumption of hostilities, Hamas had released three more hostages in exchange for the release of over 300 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire agreement.
"Tonight, we returned to fighting in Gaza due to Hamas refusal to release the hostages and threats to harm IDF soldiers and Israeli communities," Defense Minister Katz declared. He issued a stark warning, stating, "If Hamas does not release all the hostages, the gates of hell will open in Gaza, and Hamas murderers and rapists will meet the IDF with forces they have never known before." Katz reiterated Israel’s determination to continue fighting until all hostages are returned and all war goals are achieved.
The Israeli military has ordered residents to evacuate eastern Gaza and move towards the center of the territory, a move that suggests the potential for renewed ground operations within Gaza.
Hamas, in response, has placed blame squarely on Netanyahu and accused Israel of "treacherous aggression" against Gaza. In a statement, the group said, "Netanyahu and the Nazi Zionist occupation [are] fully responsible for the repercussions of the treacherous aggression on Gaza, and for the defenseless civilians and our besieged Palestinian people, who are subjected to a brutal war and a systematic policy of starvation."
Hamas has called upon the United Nations and the U.N. Security Council to convene urgently and adopt a resolution demanding an immediate halt to Israeli military operations and a complete withdrawal from Gaza. The group also appealed to Muslim nations to support Palestinian resistance.
Hamas has maintained its demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to the war as a condition for the release of the remaining living hostages.
Netanyahu has consistently asserted that Israel will not end the war until Hamas’s governing and military capabilities have been dismantled.
The recent strikes follow a nearly two-month ceasefire that resulted in the release of dozens of hostages in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Prior to the collapse of the ceasefire, on Monday, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes in Gaza, southern Lebanon, and southern Syria, claiming to be targeting terrorists plotting attacks.
The collapse of the ceasefire and the resumption of hostilities mark a significant setback in efforts to de-escalate the conflict and secure the release of the remaining hostages. The renewed violence raises serious concerns about the humanitarian impact on the civilian population in Gaza and underscores the urgent need for renewed diplomatic efforts to achieve a lasting resolution to the conflict.
