Gaza Under Siege: Ceasefire Shatters as Israeli Airstrikes Kill Over 400

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched the operation at 2:20 a.m. local time, hitting over 100 targets in a matter of hours. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the assault, stating it was essential to “achieve war objectives” against Hamas, including dismantling the group’s military capabilities and securing the release of remaining hostages. The IDF claimed to have killed senior Hamas figures, including Mahmoud Abu Wafah, a security official, and Bahjat Abu Sultan, a policing unit leader, though Hamas disputed some reports, accusing Israel of targeting civilians indiscriminately.

A Ceasefire Unravels 

The ceasefire, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, took effect on January 19, 2025, offering a rare pause in a war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,195 people and saw 251 taken hostage. The initial phase saw Hamas release 25 living hostages and eight bodies, with Israel freeing 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and easing its blockade slightly. But hopes for a lasting peace faded as phase two—envisioning a full Israeli withdrawal and the release of 59 remaining hostages—stalled. Israel pushed for a temporary truce extension, while Hamas demanded an end to the war, leading to a deadlock.

Tensions boiled over in early March when Israel imposed a total aid blockade, cutting off electricity and supplies to Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. By Tuesday, the IDF had resumed its aerial campaign with devastating force, targeting what it called “resurgent Hamas infrastructure” and hinting at a possible ground offensive.

Carnage Across Gaza

The strikes spared no corner of the Strip. In Khan Younis, a tent camp in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone was obliterated, leaving at least 50 dead, including displaced families. Rafah’s prison, run by Hamas, was flattened, killing dozens of inmates and guards near the Egyptian border. Northern Gaza City districts like Jabalia and Beit Hanoun faced relentless bombardment, with residential blocks reduced to rubble.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reported over 400 fatalities by evening, including 120 children and 90 women, with the toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continue. Hospitals, many damaged from prior fighting, were overwhelmed. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis treated over 600 wounded, with patients lining the floors due to bed shortages. Two water treatment plants were also hit, deepening a water crisis amid an ongoing aid blockade.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The renewed violence has plunged Gaza into chaos. The UN warns that 1.9 million people—90% of the population—remain displaced, facing “catastrophic” hunger. Civil defense crews, crippled by fuel shortages, struggled to reach victims trapped under debris. A strike on a car in Abasan killed six family members, a grim snapshot of the civilian toll.

Hamas condemned the attacks as a “unilateral termination” of the ceasefire, accusing Israel of endangering the remaining hostages’ lives and calling for global protests. The group’s rival, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, branded it a “war of extermination.”

International Outcry

The international response was swift and sharp. Turkey’s foreign ministry called the strikes a “new phase of genocide,” while UN Humanitarian Coordinator Volker Türk labeled them “horrifying” and demanded an immediate ceasefire. Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged restraint, and mediators Egypt and Qatar expressed dismay. The US, consulted by Israel before the strikes, has yet to publicly criticize the move, though President-elect Donald Trump’s looming inauguration in January adds uncertainty to Washington’s stance.

A War Without End?

Since October 2023, Israel’s campaign has killed over 48,500 Palestinians, per Gaza’s Health Ministry, leveling much of the enclave’s infrastructure. Netanyahu, facing domestic pressure and a corruption trial postponed by the crisis, may see the escalation as a political lifeline. Hamas, meanwhile, aims to retain control amid the devastation.

As the death toll climbs and Gaza teeters on the brink, the collapse of the ceasefire underscores the fragility of peace efforts in a conflict that has defied resolution. With the IDF signaling an open-ended operation, the specter of a full-scale ground invasion looms, threatening to deepen an already unprecedented humanitarian disaster.

Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.