Israel has resumed bombing in Gaza, with a wave of airstrikes hitting early this morning, while Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said “the gates of hell” would remain open in the strip until all remaining Israeli hostages were set free.
At least 413 people have been killed, local health officials from the Hamas-run administration said, with estimates rising as the morning progressed, while the White House voiced support for Israel’s actions.
The Telegraph reported that “photographers are documenting the devastation as Palestinians kiss the dead bodies of their relatives before they are placed in the morgue at Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. The photographs show that many of the victims are women and children, including small babies.”
“Most of the images are too graphic to publish,” the newspaper added.
Hamas said the US administration’s “unlimited political and military support” for Israel was to blame for the current bombing in Gaza, saying that “Washington bears full responsibility for the massacres and the killing of women and children in Gaza.”
“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,” the official said.
Benjamin Netanyahu said this morning that the renewed bombing were in response to Hamas’s “repeated refusal to release our hostages” – with the foreign ministry saying that: “From this point forward, Israel will act against Hamas with increasing military intensity.”
The statement blamed Hamas for ejecting “two concrete mediation proposals presented by the US President’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.”
The UN said the Israeli airstrikes will add tragedy to tragedy and heap further misery on a population already suffering.
“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,” said Volker Turk, UN high commissioner, said.
“Israel’s resort to yet more military force will only heap further misery upon a Palestinian population already suffering catastrophic conditions.”
The families of almost 60 Israeli hostages in Gaza accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of giving up on the hostages and of “deception”, saying the IDF actions endangered their loved ones.
“The Israeli government chose to give up the hostages,” a statement from the group of families said, adding that they are “shocked, angry, and terrified at the “deliberate dismantling of the process to return our loves ones”.
“The claim that the war is being renewed for the release of the hostages is a complete deception – military pressure endangers the hostages and soldiers,” the statement says.
“We must return to the ceasefire,” the group said, accusing the Israeli government of pulling “out of the deal that could have brought everyone home”.
“Returning to fighting before the last person is released will come at the cost of the 59 hostages who are still in Gaza and could be saved and returned.
“The Israeli government has refused to declare an end to the war in order to implement the next steps in the deal and return all the hostages.”
Meanwhile, on Monday night the UK government accused Israel of breaking international law for the first time since the start of the conflict in Gaza.
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said Israel had committed “a breach of international law” in relation to the restriction of aid to the region.
Mr Lammy said: “This is a breach of international law. Israel quite rightly must defend its own security. But we find the lack of aid – it’s now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza – unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying.”
“We would urge Israel to get back to the amount of trucks we were seeing – way beyond 600 – so Palestinians can get the necessary humanitarian support that they need at this time.”