More than 300 people were killed in Israel's biggest attack on Gaza since the ceasefire.
On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Israel launched a massive bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip, breaking a ceasefire that had been in place since late January. At least 326 Palestinians were killed and more than 400 others injured in the airstrikes, according to hospital officials and the Gaza Health Ministry. After weeks of stalled negotiations, the surprise bombing targeted Hamas leadership and infrastructure.
The Israeli army's preemptive strikes were aimed at destroying Hamas' capabilities and infrastructure, which had been a point of contention during ceasefire talks. An Israeli official said the decision to launch the attacks was taken when it was determined that the ceasefire was no longer viable. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Ahmed, a father of three in Gaza City, expressed his confusion and fear about the new conflict. "We don't know where is safe and where is not. Nobody knows," he said by phone. The renewed violence has shattered the fragile peace established earlier and reignited the 17-month-long war between Israel and Hamas.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum, an umbrella organisation representing the families of most Israeli hostages held in Gaza, criticised the Israeli government's decision to break the ceasefire. The organisation said the government had chosen to abandon the hostages and called for negotiating a release deal rather than returning to fighting.
The ceasefire agreement approved by Israel in January included the release of hostages in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinians jailed in Israel. However, the agreement has not been fully implemented and renewed violence has stalled these negotiations. The ceasefire agreement was aimed at halting the 15-month-long war, which has killed thousands of Palestinians and destabilised the Middle East.
The renewed conflict has attracted international attention, with various experts and human rights organizations stating that Israel and Hamas have committed war crimes and that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. A case accusing Israel of committing genocide is pending at the International Court of Justice, while the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders indicted for war crimes. Israel has received extensive military and diplomatic support from the United States, which has vetoed several United Nations Security Council ceasefire resolutions. The war is also resonating regionally, with an axis of resistance groups in several Arab countries and Iran clashing with the United States and Israel. By the end of 2024, a year of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah will have passed, followed by Israel's brief invasion of Lebanon, as well as the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. The resumed violence in Gaza has raised concerns about the possibility of further escalation and the impact on civilians caught up in the conflict. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, and is calling for a return to dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. A ceasefire in January was aimed at halting the 15-month-long war, which has devastated the Gaza Strip and destabilised the region. However, the resumed violence has dashed all hopes for a lasting peace and once again puts hostages and civilians in Gaza at risk.