Israel-Gaza latest: White House blames Hamas as Israel launches deadliest strikes since January ceasefire
Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 200 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip in the deadliest wave of attacks since a ceasefire deal was reached in January.
The White House confirmed it was consulted before the attack and suggested Hamas was to blame. Donald Trump’s National Security Council spokesperson, Brian Hughes, said the militant group “could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war”.
The strikes began at 2.30am local time (00.20 GMT) on Tuesday morning and hit densely populated urban areas, makeshift schools, residential buildings, and shelters housing displaced people in tents. The IDF said in a statement: “This preemptive offensive will continue as long as necessary, and will expand beyond air strikes.”
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after weeks of unsuccessful attempts to negotiate an extension of the ceasefire deal reached on 19 January. “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu’s office said.
Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq said in a statement that “Netanyahu’s decision to resume war is a decision to sacrifice the occupation’s prisoners and impose a death sentence on them”.
