Gaza’s health ministry said at least 44 people were killed from Israeli airstrikes into Gaza which were launched early on Tuesday after talks on further hostage releases stalled.
Israel’s defence minister said the country has “resumed fighting” in Gaza and is vowing to press ahead until all remaining hostages are released.
In a brief statement, Israel Katz said “the gates of hell will open in Gaza” if hostages are not released.
“We will not stop fighting until all of our hostages are home and we have achieved all of the war goals,” he said.
Israel said it was striking Hamas targets in its heaviest assault in the territory since a ceasefire took effect in January.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the strikes because of a lack of progress in ongoing talks to extend the ceasefire.
“This comes after Hamas repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all offers it received from the US presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff, and from the mediators,” Mr Netanyahu’s office said.
Taher Nunu, a Hamas official, criticised the Israeli attacks.
“The international community faces a moral test: either it allows the return of the crimes committed by the occupation army or it enforces a commitment to ending the aggression and war against innocent people in Gaza,” he said.
In Gaza, explosions could be heard at various locations and ambulances were arriving at Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza.
The strikes came two months after a ceasefire was reached to pause the war. Over six weeks, Hamas released roughly three dozen hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
But since the first phase of the ceasefire ended two weeks ago, the sides have not been able to agree on a way forward with a second phase aimed at releasing the nearly 60 remaining hostages and ending the war altogether.
Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to resume the war, and early this month cut off the entry of all food and aid deliveries into the besieged territory to put pressure on Hamas.
The war erupted with Hamas’ October 7 2023 cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage.
Israel responded with a military offensive that killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population.
The territory’s Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants but says over half of the dead have been women and children.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Mr Netanyahu’s office said.
