Gaza, March 19, 2025: Israeli airstrikes overnight have reportedly killed at least 13 people across Gaza, as Israel resumes combat operations in the Palestinian territory.
According to the Palestinian Wafa news agency, citing Red Crescent medics, an Israeli drone strike on a tent near the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone killed two civilians and injured five others.
The Israeli army stated that it had targeted a Hamas military site, allegedly preparing to fire into Israel. Additionally, vessels controlled by Hamas were struck.
The renewed offensive follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration that fighting would resume “in full force,” adding: “This is just the beginning.”
While the latest airstrikes are not as intense as those on Tuesday, when Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported over 400 deaths, the new wave of attacks signals no let-up in Israel’s military campaign.
Tuesday’s strikes were the heaviest since the January 19 ceasefire and hostage exchange deal, which collapsed after Israel and Hamas failed to agree on the next phase of negotiations.
Under the proposed second phase of the deal, Israel was expected to withdraw troops from Gaza. However, Israel and the U.S. instead sought an extension of the first phase, facilitating further hostage-prisoner exchanges—a move that Hamas rejected.
Netanyahu framed the renewed assault as part of Israel’s core objectives—to secure the release of hostages and eliminate Hamas. However, families of Israeli hostages criticized the decision, arguing it showed the government had abandoned their loved ones.
According to Israel, Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, of whom 24 are believed to be alive. Meanwhile, Egypt, a key mediator, denounced the airstrikes as a “blatant” violation of the ceasefire.
Palestinian sources report additional casualties as a woman and child killed in a strike north of Khan Younis and four others killed in an attack on Gaza City.
Gaza’s health ministry has yet to release a full death toll for the latest airstrikes.
Hamas confirmed the deaths of several of its leaders in Tuesday’s strikes, including Essam a-Da’lees, the group’s de facto head of government.
Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad, which participated in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, announced that Abu Hamza, a prominent spokesman for its armed wing, was killed.
However, many of the dead are civilians, including dozens of children, according to reports from Gaza.
Regional mediators are reportedly pressuring Hamas to release additional Israeli hostages in exchange for a de-escalation of violence. However, Netanyahu has dismissed this approach, stating that all ceasefire negotiations will now take place “under fire.”
The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel resulted in about 1,200 deaths and the capture of 251 hostages, 25 of whom were released alive under the first phase of the ceasefire.
In response, Israel launched a massive military offensive, which the Hamas-run health ministry claims has killed over 48,500 Palestinians and caused widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.
