The move “follows Hamas’s repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength.”
The raids shattered a shaky ceasefire that had paused 15 months of fighting which devastated Gaza. The bombardment is the fiercest since the truce brokered by Egypt, Qatar and others took effect in January.Hamas issued a stark warning after the strikes began, saying Netanyahu had decided to “overturn the ceasefire agreement, putting the captives in Gaza at an unknown fate.” Hamas still holds about 60 hostages.
The strikes are the latest sign that that the Middle East conflicts that erupted following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 2023 attacks on Israel are again escalating. The US this week ramped up strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying the response would be “unrelenting” unless attacks on shipping in the Red Sea stopped.
Gold touched a fresh all-time high above $3,000 an ounce on the strikes and US economic data that fueled concerns about an economic slowdown. Oil was steady after a two-day gain.The attacks show Israel remains committed to its war goal of destroying Hamas both as a governing and military entity, while the Islamist group wants Israeli forces to withdraw completely from Gaza.
The Trump administration was consulted on the latest Gaza strikes by Israel, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a Fox News interview.
“As President Trump has made it clear: Hamas, the Houthis, Iran, all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel, but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay,” Leavitt said. “All hell will break loose.”
On Monday, Hamas accused Israel of failing to meet its commitments under the first phase, citing in particular the withholding of temporary shelter items and Israel’s decision to close crossing points to aid shipments at the beginning of the month.
The first phase of the agreement, which ended earlier this month, saw Hamas release more than 30 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. As part of the phase, Israel withdrew from the Netzarim corridor, a strategic route that divided Gaza into two parts, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to what was left of their homes in the north.
Before the latest escalation, the US said it had presented a “bridge” proposal that would extend the initial truce beyond the Ramadan and Passover holidays — into April — and see Hamas release living hostages in exchange for prisoners. That would enable more humanitarian assistance to enter Gaza and work to continue on a durable halt to fighting.
Separately, Hamas had said it was willing to release all American-Israeli hostages, including one still alive. That surprise move was quickly dismissed by both Israel and the US as an attempt to divide the allies. The Trump administration has said it won’t seek a deal favoring the living American-Israeli hostage, Edan Alexander, over other captives.
