On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Israel launched airstrikes across the Gaza Strip killing over 400 and injuered dozen, Palestinian Health authorities said, shattering nearly two months of relative calm since a ceasefire began, as Israel warned the onslaught was “just the beginning.”
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas accused one other of breaking the truce. The ceasefire has been in place since January, providing relief to Gaza’s 2.3 million residents who have been left in ruins.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas refused to release half of the remaining hostages in exchange for prolonging the ceasefire. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s bloodiest shelling of the region during the 17-month war killed largely women and children.
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Netanyahu called on Gazans to get out of harm’s way and move to safer areas, blaming every civilian casualty on Hamas.
“From now on, Israel will act against Hamas with increasing force. And from now on, negotiations will only take place under fire,” he said, speaking from the Kirya army base in Tel Aviv.
“Hamas has already felt the blow of our arm in the last 24 hours. And I want to assure you: This is just the beginning.”
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The strikes hit homes and tent encampments across the Gaza Strip, from north to south. Witnesses reported that an Israeli plane fired missiles into Gaza City late on Tuesday. Others reported that Israeli tanks fired shells from over the border.
Palestinian health officials reported 408 deaths, one of the highest single-day fatalities since the war began.
