Israel’s latest airstrikes in Gaza have killed at least 413 people, the Hamas-run health ministry has said, as the UN’s human rights chief branded the violence as “horrifying”.

A further 562 people were injured in the airstrikes, which put an end to a fragile ceasefire between Hamas, the militant group ruling Gaza, and Israel as they resumed overnight.

A statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said: “From now on, Israel will act against Hamas with increasing military force”.

Evacuation orders have been issued by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) for a number of areas in Gaza, after the ceasefire had allowed for hundreds of thousands of displaced people to return to their homes across the enclave.

The IDF said on X people should leave the neighbourhoods of Beit Hanoun, Khuza’a, Abasan al-Kabira and al-Jadida and head to shelters in Gaza City and Khan Younis.

That’s despite Gaza City and Khan Younis being among the areas where airstrikes were reported.

Northern Gaza, the Deir al-Balah and Rafah also came under attack.

Many of the dead from the latest strikes were children, according to Palestinian health ministry officials.

The Hamas-run government media office called the attacks a “blatant violation of all international and humanitarian conventions”.

In a statement, the Israeli PM’s office said Mr Netanyahu and defence minister Israel Katz ordered the 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.

In a passionate speech on Tuesday, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour, said “we want peace”, adding that the choice facing the world was “crystal clear”.

He urged the assembly to “act with us to make peace… make war not acceptable… and [for] ceasefire to prevail”.

Brett Jonathan Miller, Israel’s deputy permanent representative at the UN reaffirmed their commitment to defeating Hamas and bringing home “every last hostage”.

He said a return to fighting was “a necessity” because the militant group had failed to release those being held and “repeatedly rejected all offers made by the US and the mediating countries”.

The UK’s ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters, said on X Israel’s attacks will neither help defeat Hamas nor bring hostages home and will only cause “more death”.

Read more:
What happened to the ceasefire?

There are 59 Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas – 24 of whom are still believed to be alive.

For their release, Hamas wanted the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and an end to hostilities as part of the second phase of the deal.

Hamas, the militant group running Gaza and whose massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October 2023 sparked Israel’s powerful bombing of the enclave, has claimed it is “working with mediators to curb the aggression” seen on Tuesday.

“Hamas adhered to the ceasefire agreement and implemented it precisely, but the Israeli occupation reneged on its commitment and reversed it by resuming aggression and war,” an official said.

More than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory campaign since October 2023, Gazan health officials say.

The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to convene later on Tuesday for a briefing on Gaza.

UN High Commissioner Volker Turk said: “I am horrified by last night’s Israeli airstrikes and shelling in Gaza, which killed hundreds, according to the Ministry of Health in the strip.

“This will add tragedy onto tragedy.”

‘Unilaterally ending the ceasefire’

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

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a Fox News interview that the Trump administration was consulted by Israel about the airstrikes on Monday.

‘Not a surprise’

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.

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

The source then said “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 about 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.

‘We are shocked’

Izzat al-Risheq, a senior Hamas official, said Mr Netanyahu’s decision to return to war amounts to a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum hit out at the Israeli government’s decision to resume airstrikes in Gaza and accused it of backing out of the ceasefire, saying it “chose to give up on the hostages”.

“We are shocked, angry and terrified by the deliberate dismantling of the process to return our loved ones from the terrible captivity of Hamas,” the group said in a statement.

Mr Netanyahu’s decision to launch fresh airstrikes on the besieged enclave of Gaza comes as he faces mounting pressure at home over his handling of the hostage crisis.

Furthermore, his latest testimony in a long-running corruption trial was cancelled after the strikes, which resumed during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

US Middle East envoy Mr Witkoff had proposed extending the first phase of the ceasefire 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.

Thousands are demanding justice for 59 people killed in a nightclub fire in North Macedonia, as authorities prepare graves for its victims.

More than 150 were also injured after pyrotechnics sparked a fire at Club Pulse in Kocani, with government officials and the nightclub’s manager among 20 people arrested.

But some protests turned violent in the eastern town and in the capital Skopje, where thousands have called for more action amid a litany of alleged safety failures.

As excavators dug a fresh line of graves in the town of 25,000 people, 16-year-old Jovan, who lost a friend in the fire, described his country as “corrupt”.

“I want everyone who helped this place carry on with its business to be jailed,” he said, speaking from a quiet protest in Kocani’s central square.

Some held placards reading “we are not dying from accidents; we are dying from corruption” and “everything is legal here if you have connections”.

A van was overturned there, while others threw rocks at a local government building.

Investigations have so far revealed that the club was operating at double its 250-person capacity, without proper licensing.

Many were trampled as they rushed toward a single exit.

There were numerous safety violations, according to officials, including:

• no emergency exits;
• insufficient fire equipment;
• the use of flammable cladding and no sprinkler system.

Read more:
Windows smashed in nightclub owner’s pub
What we know so far about North Macedonia fire

The EU has previously identified corruption as an obstacle to the country’s accession to the bloc.

Authorities are also investigating allegations club owners bribed officials to bypass safety regulations.

Nationwide inspections of all nightclubs and entertainment venues have been ordered by the government.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the club’s licence was issued illegally by the economy ministry, vowing to bring those responsible to justice.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s have both said any ceasefire between their two countries must lead to a lasting peace.

Ukraine has not long marked three years of war, in which hundreds of thousands have died or been injured on both sides, according to the respective authorities.

Follow our live blog for the latest updates about the Ukraine war

The Kremlin’s annexation of more Ukrainian territory during its invasion – which it still calls a “special military operation” -and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s determination to uphold its sovereignty has left many analysts doubtful the war will ever end.

But since his return to the White House, Donald Trump has demanded the two sides “make a deal”, withdrawing vital US support to Kyiv until it agreed to come to the negotiating table.

Mr Zelenskyy has now agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, with Mr Trump due to iron out Russia’s demands in a phone call with Mr Putin on Tuesday.

But beyond that – what would a Ukraine without fighting look like? Here we go through some of the options.

Ongoing ceasefire

Beyond the initial 30-day agreement, providing neither side violates it, the ceasefire could continue indefinitely.

“A ceasefire can go on to be an enduring thing,” Dr David Blagden, associate professor in international security and strategy at the University of Exeter, tells Sky News.

He gives the example of North and South Korea, whereby a demilitarised zone (DMZ) has effectively served as a border between the two countries since the Korean War ended in 1953.

“Even if it doesn’t ever lead to a more satisfactory settlement, it might still be better for both parties than endless conflict,” he says.

But any kind of DMZ would require both Ukraine and Russia to pull their troops away from the frontline, which is unlikely, adds Dr Huseyn Aliyev, senior lecturer in East European studies at the University of Glasgow.

Parts of Ukraine become ‘New Russia’

The alternative would be for both Ukraine and Russia to offer concessions to formally end the war.

Top of Vladimir Putin’s “list of demands” for “long-term peace”, and his justification for invading Ukraine in the first place, is Crimea – and four other regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia – becoming part of a ‘New Russia’, as they were before the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

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While Luhansk is almost completely under Russian control, Ukraine still holds significant parts of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, making them more difficult for Kyiv to let go of.

“We know neither Crimea nor the Donbas regions [Donetsk and Luhansk] would be returned [to Ukraine] as part of a truce,” Dr Aliyev says. “So it would involve ceding control over those parts.

“But Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are more complicated – especially Kherson – as Kherson city was so painfully liberated by Ukraine in 2022.”

Although many doubt Russia would stop there in terms of territory, Dr Blagden adds: “There would be Russian rationale for being content with what they already have. It’s been hugely costly for them – and destroyed a lot of their expensively modernised military. It’s also filtered through into Russian civilian life, to an extent, via the sanctions and casualties, despite the Kremlin’s efforts to insulate Russia’s upper and middle classes from the worst of the war.

“Likewise, for Ukraine – galling and unfair though it may be – there’s likely now more recognition that retaking lost ground will be desperately hard, especially without assured supplies of US weaponry and intelligence. So, they could have reason to live with some sort of ceasefire too.”

Power plants and infrastructure split

Mr Trump has said his team has already proposed “dividing up certain assets” between the two countries – namely “land and power plants” – and will discuss the details with Mr Putin in a phone call on Tuesday.

He did not give any specifics, but these are likely to include the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which has been occupied by Russia since March 2022, and is one of the largest in the world.

Other key infrastructure that could come under Moscow’s control includes the Nova Kakhovka dam, blown up in 2023 and not yet rebuilt, and other river crossings.

Zelenskyy replaced

A truce would also likely include a new leader for Ukraine. Mr Zelenskyy has already told Sky News he is open to stepping down if it means Ukraine can join NATO.

One of Mr Putin’s demands is that Ukraine is never allowed NATO membership – but replacing Mr Zelenskyy could still serve to appease him – and Donald Trump, who has called him a “dictator” and accused him of “gambling with World War Three”.

“It would be easier for Zelenskyy to call an election and have somebody replace him,” Dr Aliyev says. “But there’s a problem of who that would be – as there’s not much left of the Ukrainian opposition.”

Contenders include Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Valerii Zaluzhnyi – or one of the generals currently in charge of the military, he adds.

But the Kremlin would prefer a pro-Russian regime in Kyiv, according to Dr Blagden.

“Short of being able to conquer the whole country, a government that’s more favourable towards Russian interests would obviously be their preference,” he says.

“Similar to the one they’ve worked hard to install in Georgia, they might hope for the return of Ukraine’s more pro-Russian politicians and sentiment from before 2014. But of course, Ukrainian opinion is now galvanised against anyone seen as a puppet of Moscow.”

‘Minor concessions’ for Ukraine

Although Russia’s demands would mean a series of heavy blows for Ukraine, there could be some “minor concessions”, security and defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke says.

US national security adviser Mike Waltz has said Ukraine would get “security guarantees” if it agrees to cede territory – but has not specified what they would be.

Other possible concessions include the return of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children who were abducted and forcibly resettled in Russia – and prisoners of war on both sides.

In principle, if a truce was agreed, the International Criminal Court could also begin an investigation into whether war crimes were committed on either side.

“In these situations where there’s a fundamental disagreement and you can’t see the way forward, you often concentrate on some of the minor details,” Professor Clarke says.

Starmer’s ‘coalition of the willing’

Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have spearheaded the idea of a so-called “coalition of the willing” to uphold a potential truce or ceasefire.

Sir Keir’s team says “more than 30” countries are interested in contributing to the peacekeeping force – but the US has been notably absent from leaders’ meetings so far. Vladimir Putin has also said he would not accept NATO forces in Ukraine, posing a major obstacle to the plans.

The prime minister has not specified how the coalition would work but said that military chiefs would meet to discuss the “operational phase” on Thursday.

Lower risk option

According to the experts, the coalition could take two potential forms.

Neither would involve guarding the entire frontline. That’s because, at 640 miles long, it would require more than 100,000 troops at a time – and 300,000 with rotations.

By contrast, the first option would be stationing troops away from the line of control, largely in western Ukraine – or at key infrastructural sites or transport hubs to ensure they continue running smoothly.

This would be a similar operation to the British one in Estonia – where 900 troops are stationed to deter Russian aggression. The Ukrainian one would involve up to 30,000 personnel and be focused primarily on monitoring, logistics, and training, the experts say.

“The challenge for any peacekeeping force is balancing effectiveness and escalatory risk,” Dr Blagden adds.

“Calling it a ‘peacekeeping’ force might create the impression of neutrality. But of course, it wouldn’t be neutral – they’re there to defend one of two sides. It would be better understood as a garrison whose job would be to ensure that Russia can’t attack Ukraine without attacking NATO troops, and therefore risking a wider war with nuclear-armed powers,” he says.

“A larger combat force closer to the frontline would create more deterrence but with more escalatory risk – whereas a smaller force further from the frontline – perhaps merely fulfilling training and support tasks – would carry much less escalatory risk but therefore also be much less of a deterrent”.

Ordinarily, that deterrent would be hugely bolstered by the US, which under NATO’s Article 5 could send in powerful air forces to attack ones on the ground – as it has in places like Iraq.

But Donald Trump’s tense relations with Ukraine and suggestions the US could leave NATO have thrown its Article 5 obligations into major doubt.

‘Rapid reaction force’ closer to frontline

Alternatively, coalition troops could be sent closer to the frontline, Professor Clarke says.

They would be split into brigades manning four or five strategic bases like the cities of Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Kharkiv or Kyiv.

Describing them as a “rapid reaction force at high readiness”, Professor Clarke adds: “To be able to go to any trouble spot and snuff it out they’d need a lot of transport – particularly air cover to get there quickly enough.”

They too would likely need to be backed up by a US security guarantee, he says, but under the Trump administration, this is by no means certain.

Neutral peacekeeping force

Alternatively, a peacekeeping force could be led by the United Nations, which would recruit personnel from neutral countries in exchange for incentives, as it does elsewhere.

With the second-largest military in NATO, Turkey could be involved, Dr Aliyev says.

But with Vladimir Putin’s rejection of potential NATO forces, he may be more likely to accept ones from the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) nations, Professor Clarke adds.

“Putin has hinted at troops from the Global South as monitors – because he thinks they are on his side,” he says. India in particular could be a viable option, he says.

“India has got big forces and wants to play a bigger strategic role in the world. Russia wouldn’t want to fire on Indian forces because of the political implications for their relationship – so they might be most acceptable to both Russia and the West.”

While a neutral option might be the most practical – it may not be hugely successful, Dr Aliyev cautions.

“Similar missions in Lebanon and sub-Saharan Africa have been relatively low in effectiveness,” he says.”A UN force might be the most feasible for Russia – but a coalition of the willing would last longer.”