Relatives sit around the bodies of victims killed in an Israeli strike at Al-Mamdani Hospital in Gaza City on March 18, 2025. Image credit: AFP
(The Post News)– The Israeli military has launched what it describes as “extensive strikes” in the Gaza Strip, with local authorities reporting at least 220 Palestinian fatalities. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, this marks the deadliest wave of airstrikes in Gaza since the ceasefire was implemented on January 19.
The airstrikes follow several unsuccessful attempts to prolong the ceasefire. The ceasefire negotiations, which started after the truce’s first phase concluded on March 1, came to a standstill when Israel and Hamas couldn’t agree on important points of a deal put out by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. An additional swap of hostages and Palestinian inmates would have been part of the prolongation that the U.S. had proposed until mid-April. Progress was halted, nevertheless, by disputes over the specifics.
Meanwhile, witnesses report that the attacks began while many Palestinians were having their predawn meal in observance of Ramadan. More than 20 Israeli warplanes flew over the region before launching their strikes. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz authorised the military actions, with Netanyahu’s office emphasising that the decision came after Hamas rejected multiple proposals from U.S. mediators. The Israeli government has vowed to escalate military operations against Hamas in response to its continued refusal to release Israeli hostages.
According to Netanyahu, Hamas has rejected all of their attempts to seek a peaceful agreement, and Israel will continue to operate with increased force against Hamas. Additionally, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, reiterated this stance, warning that Israel would show “no mercy” on its enemies.
Hamas, on the other hand, has expressed outrage over Israel’s decision to violate the ceasefire, accusing the country of “treachery.” The group also warned that the strikes could jeopardise the safety of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. However, Hamas has stopped short of declaring that it is resuming full-scale hostilities and instead called on international mediators, including the United Nations, to intervene.
Before launching the strikes, Israel reportedly consulted with the Trump administration, according to a White House spokesperson. This follows months of intense diplomatic negotiations aimed at finding a way forward in the conflict. The current conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
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