March 18 (UPI) — Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza on Tuesday, killing hundreds of Palestinians in what is the first major attack since Israel and Hamas entered a fragile U.S.-backed cease-fire in January.
The resumption in fighting has killed at least 326 Palestinians, according to an update from the Gazan Ministry of Health on WhatsApp, though the casualty toll is expected to climb as it warned, “A number of victims are still under the rubble, and efforts are underway to recover them.”
The ministry does not distinguish between militants and civilians.
Israel began the bombardment early Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announcing in a joint statement that they had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to “take strong action” against Hamas in Gaza.
Following the overnight bombing, the IDF issued evacuations for areas around the border of Gaza and Israel, labeling the band of land “dangerous combat zones.”
“For your own safety, you must evacuate immediately to the known shelters in western Gaza City and those in Khan Yunis,” Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, said in a statement.
Fighting between Israel and Hamas ceased in mid-January with a fragile armistice that included rounds of exchanges of detainees held by Israel for hostages held by Hamas.
Disagreements over an extension to the armistice early this month put the cease-fire in jeopardy. Israel responded by prohibiting all aid to Gaza.
The Israeli leaders on Tuesday described the stalemate as “Hamas’ repeated refusal to release our hostages” as well as a rejection of a cease-fire proposal from the United States.
They said the operation had been presented by IDF over the weekend to Israeli politicians, who gave it their approval.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu’s office said in the statement.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, with Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people. Another 251 were taken hostage, of whom 59 are still believed to be in Gaza. Some of them are believed to be dead.
It was unclear if Israel had officially terminated the cease-fire.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Palestinian Authority accused Israel of violating its obligations under the armistice.
“The ministry considers the continued aggression against our people and the shedding of the blood of children, women and defenseless civilians to be an official Israeli evasion of the obligations of consolidating the cessation of the war of genocide,” it said.
U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said in a statement that he was “horrified” by the strikes.
“This nightmare must end immediately,” Turk said. “The hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. All those arbitrarily detained must be released immediately and unconditionally. The war must end permanently. We urge all parties with influence to do all in their power to achieve peace and avoid further suffering of civilians.”
Oxfam’s humanitarian coordinator in Gaza, Clemence Lagouardat, also condemned the attack and called for “all parties” to work to restore a “permanent and sustainable cease-fire.”
“It is indefensible that Israel has breached the cease-fire agreement by carrying out airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, killing over 300 people and injuring hundreds,” Lagouardat said. “The ongoing targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure cannot be justified under any circumstances.”
