Israel-Gaza war latest: Netanyahu calls strikes that shattered ceasefire and killed 404 ‘only the beginning’
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Tuesday’s renewed bombardment of Gaza was “only the beginning” after the fragile ceasefire was shattered and more than 400 Palestinians killed, according to local health officials.
All future ceasefire negotiations will take place “under fire”, Mr Netanyahu said as he vowed to force Hamas to release all remaining hostages.
White House officials confirmed that Donald Trump “gave the green light” for Israel’s pre-dawn attack.The US president gave Israel the go-ahead after Hamas failed to hand over hostages, an Israeli official told the Wall Street Journal.
The families of those still held in Gaza expressed concern for their loved ones as a senior Hamas official described Israel’s airstrikes as a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages.
Gaza’s health ministry said at least 263 of those confirmed dead were women or children. A Unicef worker recalled seeing the bodies of “several dozen” children after the strikes. Several high-ranking officials, including the head of Hamas’s civil administration Issam al-Daalis, are also among the dead, according to the Hamas-run authorities in Gaza.
France joined several countries including Norway, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia in condemning the strikes.
