Israel carries out ‘extensive strikes’ in Gaza – and warns it will act with ‘increasing military force’

Israel says it is currently carrying out “extensive strikes on terror targets” across the Gaza Strip.

A statement added that “from now on, Israel will act against Hamas with increasing military force”.

According to the Reuters news agency, a senior Hamas official said Israel is unilaterally ending the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Early on Tuesday, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said at least 44 people were killed in the airstrikes.

In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Israel Katz ordered the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to “act forcefully” against Hamas.

It came after the militant group “repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all offers it received from the US presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff, and from the mediators”.

“The operational plan was presented late last week by the IDF and approved by the political echelon,” the statement added.

The IDF and Shin Bet described the strikes as “extensive” – and said they were against “terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip”.

Last week, the Gaza health ministry said nine Palestinians, including three journalists, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the northern town of Beit Lahia.

‘I wish to leave’

A Palestinian source who lives in central Gaza told Sky News’ US correspondent Mark Stone the strikes were “not a surprise” and that “I guess the strongest ones can do whatever they want”.

The source then said, according to Mr Stone, that “we were sure that this war wouldn’t end” and added: “I wish they (Israel) would open the Rafah border crossing (into Egypt).

“I wish to leave. I cannot take it anymore.”

It comes almost two months after a three-phase ceasefire was reached by Hamas and Israel to pause the war.

Over the first phase of the ceasefire, which lasted six weeks, Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza and five Thai nationals, in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

But since the first phase officially concluded, both Israel and Hamas have failed to agree on how to progress with the second phase – which would see the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and end the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff proposed extending the first phase through to the end of Ramadan and Passover, or until 20 April, which Hamas rejected.

At the start of March, Israel said it stopped all goods and supplies to Gaza after claiming Hamas was refusing to “accept the Witkoff outline for continuing the talks, which Israel agreed to”. Hamas called it “a war crime and a blatant attack”.

Five days later, Israel said it had cut off the electricity supply to Gaza.

The war in Gaza began after Hamas militants carried out a cross-border raid into southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing around 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials.

Israel responded by launching an air and ground offensive in Gaza which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, say Gaza health officials.

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a Fox News interview that US President Donald Trump’s administration was consulted by Israel on the strikes earlier on Monday.

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