"This is just the beginning": Netanyahu announced the resumption of hostilities against Hamas "until he achieves his goals"

On Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had fully resumed fighting against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The official warned that "negotiations will only continue under fire" and that "this is just the beginning." UNN reports with reference to the BBC.

Details

He made these comments after Israeli aircraft carried out massive airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza, the military said. Airstrikes were carried out on Beit Lahia, Rafah, Nuseirat and Al-Mawasi. This wave of strikes was the most powerful since the ceasefire on January 19, but the incident may indicate that the fragile truce may be broken.

Israel will continue to fight to achieve all its military goals – "to return the hostages, get rid of Hamas and make sure that Hamas is not a threat to Israel

The Hamas Ministry of Health reported that more than 400 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in the attack.

Key Hamas figures were also killed in the airstrikes, including Major General Mahmoud Abu Watfa, Deputy Minister of Interior in Gaza, and a senior Hamas security official.

Addendum

The full ceasefire agreement provided for three phases. The first phase ended in early March after numerous exchanges of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations on the second phase were supposed to begin six weeks ago, but this did not happen.

The ceasefire agreement and its further progress are in a state of uncertainty, after the US and Israel wanted to change the terms of the agreement to extend the first phase, which would lead to the release of more hostages. However, according to Benjamin Netanyahu, he tried to negotiate a further exchange, but Hamas rejects the offers every time.

After all, this, in turn, would postpone the start of the second phase, which was intended to establish a permanent ceasefire and would require Israel to withdraw its troops from Gaza.

According to officials, Israel consulted with the administration of US President Donald Trump before launching the strikes.

In turn, Hamas warned that the resumption of hostilities by Israel would lead to a "death sentence" for the remaining living hostages in Gaza, and accused Israel of trying to force it to surrender.

World reaction

The attacks on Gaza were condemned by Egypt, which is mediating the talks.

The airstrikes are a "flagrant violation" of the ceasefire agreement and represent a "dangerous escalation," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Tamim Hallaf.

Hamas could have released the hostages to extend the truce, but instead chose refusal and war, commented US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes.

The attacks were so sudden that the number of available medical personnel was insufficient for the scale of these large-scale attacks, and additional teams were immediately called in to assist, - , Director General of Gaza Strip Hospitals Mohammed Zakuot in a commentary to the BBC.

A group representing the families of the hostages accused the Israeli government of deciding to "give away the hostages" by carrying out new strikes, and protested near the Israeli parliament.

Let us remind you

Earlier, UNN wrote that the UN is sounding the alarm after new large-scale Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.