Israels ceasefire with Hamas has collapsed and at least 330 Palestinians have been killed in in Gaza.
Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said they targeted Hamas “terror targets” and Mahmoud Abu Wafah, the deputy interior minister in Gaza who was the highest-ranking official was killed in the air strikes.
On Tuesday morning the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the air strikes on Gaza.
A statement reads, “This 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.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength.”
Witnesses in Gaza reported seeing at least 20 warplanes firing at targets in Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah.
Families of the missing hostages condemned the air strikes, they said, “The claim that the war is being renewed for the release of the hostages is a complete deception, military pressure endangers the hostages and soldiers. We must return to the cease-fire.”
Israel has called an emergency meeting as an “unusual event” indicates that Hamas could attempt to “prepare for a ground invasion into Israel.”
Israeli i24 News’ Ariel Oseran wrote on X, “Urgent security consultations took place at the top security and political levels in Israel due to ‘a recent unusual event that may indicate a Hamas attempt to prepare for a ground invasion into Israel.’ The censorship approved to publicize the information.”
