Hamas has called for international pressure on Israel to uphold a Gaza ceasefire after Israeli airstrikes killed at least 13 people on Wednesday, marking the deadliest assault since the fragile truce took effect in January.
The renewed strikes came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Tuesday’s bombardment was “only the beginning.” According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, over 400 people have been killed since the resumption of hostilities.
Hamas, while expressing openness to negotiations, insisted it would not renegotiate the ceasefire agreement that began on January 19. “Hamas has not closed the door on negotiations, but we insist there is no need for new agreements,” said spokesperson Taher al-Nunu. The group demanded an immediate halt to Israeli attacks and a return to the original terms of the truce.
Disagreements over the ceasefire’s next phase have stalled negotiations, with Israel and the United States seeking an extension of stage one, delaying steps meant to establish a lasting truce and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas has rejected this, insisting on full implementation of the existing deal.
Netanyahu: ‘This Is Only the Beginning’
Israel and the U.S. have accused Hamas of rejecting a deal that could lead to further hostage releases. Netanyahu’s office said renewed strikes were ordered due to Hamas’s “repeated refusal” to free Israeli captives.
In a televised address, Netanyahu stated, “From now on, negotiations will take place only under fire… Hamas has already felt the strength of our arm, and this is only the beginning.”
The White House confirmed that Israel had consulted the Trump administration before launching the strikes, and Israeli officials said the military action was “fully coordinated” with Washington.
Global Outrage as Civilian Toll Mounts
The Israeli bombardment has overwhelmed Gaza’s few remaining hospitals, with the health ministry reporting 413 bodies recovered so far, with many more feared trapped under rubble.
International condemnation has followed, with the United Nations and world leaders calling for an end to the violence. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that Israel’s actions were “shattering hopes for an end to suffering,” while the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the strikes as “unacceptable.”
Egypt and Qatar, key mediators in the ceasefire, also denounced Israel’s military escalation. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi accused Israel of making Gaza “uninhabitable” and attempting to force Palestinian displacement.
Political Fallout and Rising Tensions
Israel’s renewed military campaign has yielded immediate political gains for Netanyahu. The far-right Otzma Yehudit party, which left his ruling coalition in January over the Gaza ceasefire, has now rejoined the government, reinstating its leader Itamar Ben Gvir as national security minister.
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas’s attack on Israel that killed 1,218 people, has since led to Israel’s retaliatory strikes, resulting in at least 48,577 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas, 58 remain in captivity, with the Israeli military confirming that 34 of them are presumed dead.
As violence intensifies and diplomatic efforts stall, fears of a prolonged and devastating conflict continue to grow.
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