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Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 59 people, including women and children, hospital officials said Wednesday, as Israel prepares to ramp up its campaign against Hamas in a devastating war now entering its 20th month. The strikes included one attack on Tuesday night on a school sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians, which killed 27 people, officials from the Al-Aqsa Hospital said, including nine women and three children, AP reports. It was the fifth time since the war began that the school in central Gaza has been struck. An early morning strike on another school turned shelter in Gaza City killed 16 people, according to officials at Al-Ahli Hospital, while strikes on targets in other areas killed at least 16 others. A large column of smoke rose and fires pierced the dark skies above the school shelter in Bureij, a built-up urban refugee camp. Paramedics and rescuers rushed to pull people out from the blaze. Israel supports India’s ‘right to self-defence after ‘Operation Sindoor’ The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the strikes. Israel blames Hamas for the death toll because it operates from civilian infrastructure, including schools. The new bloodshed comes days after Israel approved a plan to intensify its operations in the Palestinian enclave, which would include seizing Gaza, holding on to captured territories, forcibly displacing Palestinians to southern Gaza and taking control of aid distribution along with private security companies. Israel is also calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers to carry out the plan. Israel says the plan will be gradual and will not be implemented until after US President Donald Trump wraps up his visit to the region later this month.

At least 45 Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense. Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for the Civil Defense, said an Israeli airstrike on a residential house belonging to the Baraka family in Khan Younis killed 10 people. Another strike on a barbershop in the city left six people dead, including two children and a woman. Israeli airstrikes kill at Least 25 in Gaza; new U.S. Ambassador Huckabee makes first appearance  Basal added that eight others were reportedly killed in separate strikes in Khan Younis, while two more were killed in Rafah, further south. In northern Gaza, at least 13 people died and several were injured when the Maqdad family's home in the Tal al-Zaatar area was hit. Basal also noted that six people were killed in airstrikes targeting two displacement tents in Gaza City. In a statement, the Civil Defense warned that ongoing fuel shortages—caused by Israeli restrictions on aid and fuel entry—could force its emergency operations to shut down in the coming days. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Friday that, guided by intelligence, its troops are continuing operations against militant groups in Gaza by targeting infrastructure and eliminating militants. According to the IDF, the Israeli Air Force struck around 40 targets across Gaza, including militants, military structures, and weapons storage sites.    

Israeli airstrikes across Gaza killed at least 17 people early Friday including children, hospital workers said, as the new US ambassador to Israel made his first public appearance in Jerusalem. Among the dead were 10 people in Jabaliya, including eight from the same house, according to the Indonesian Hospital, which received the bodies, according to AP. In the southern city of Khan Younis, seven people were killed, one of them a pregnant woman, according to Nasser Hospital, where the bodies were brought. The strikes came a day after more than two dozen people died in Gaza as Israel ramps up attacks, pressuring Hamas to return the hostages and disarm. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Friday appeared at the Western Wall, the holiest Jewish prayer site in Jerusalem’s Old City. Huckabee inserted a prayer into the wall, which he said was handwritten by US President Donald Trump. "Those are his initials, D.T.,“ said Huckabee while showing the note to the media. Israeli airstrike hits hospital entrance in Gaza, killing medic and wounding 9 other people In his first act as ambassador, Huckabee said Trump told him to take his prayer and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, he said. Huckabee also said every effort was being made to bring the remaining hostages held by Hamas home. A one-time presidential hopeful, Huckabee has acknowledged his past support for Israel’s right to annex the West Bank and incorporate its Palestinian population into Israel but said it would not be his “prerogative” to carry out that policy. During his first term, Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital over Palestinian objections and moved the embassy from Tel Aviv. Palestinian seek the eastern part of the city that Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war as their future capital. Huckabee's arrival comes at a pivotal time in the 18-month war, as international mediators including the US are trying to get a broken ceasefire back on track. Israel is demanding that Hamas release more hostages at the start of any new ceasefire and ultimately agree to disarm and leave the territory. Israel has said it plans occupy large “security zones” inside Gaza. Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas’ negotiating delegation, said Thursday the group had rejected Israel’s latest proposal along those lines. He reiterated Hamas’ stance that it will return hostages only in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting truce, as called for in the now-defunct ceasefire agreement reached in January.

At least 32 people, most of them women and children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, local health authorities reported on Sunday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to the United States to meet President Donald Trump for discussions about the ongoing conflict. Israel, which ended its ceasefire with Hamas last month, has captured territory in an attempt to compel the militant group into agreeing to a new truce and the release of remaining hostages. The country has also prevented the entry of food, fuel, and other critical supplies into Gaza for more than a month, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the enclave, which heavily depends on external aid. Phone footage challenges Israel’s account of killing 15 Palestinian medics On Sunday evening, the Israeli military instructed residents of several areas in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, to evacuate, shortly after around 10 projectiles were launched from the territory—marking the largest attack from Gaza since Israel resumed military operations. The military said about five of those projectiles were intercepted. Hamas’ armed wing claimed responsibility. A rocket hit the city of Ashkelon, and debris fell in other locations, police said. According to the Magen David Adom emergency service, one person sustained minor injuries. The military later announced it had targeted and hit a rocket launcher in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes overnight into Sunday hit a tent and a home in Khan Younis, a city in the south, killing five men, five women, and five children, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the victims’ bodies. Among the deceased was a female journalist. “My daughter was innocent. She had no part in any of this — she was passionate about journalism and loved it deeply,” her mother, Amal Kaskeen, said. Israeli forces establish new security corridor in Southern Gaza A toddler’s body occupied one side of an emergency stretcher. “My cousin was killed, and Trump wants the Gaza issue resolved quickly — that’s clear from what happened this morning,” said Mohammad Abdel-Hadi, a relative of one of the victims. In the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, Israeli shelling claimed at least four lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. An Associated Press journalist at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah reported that seven bodies — including those of a child and three women — had arrived there. Meanwhile, a strike in Gaza City hit civilians queuing outside a bakery, killing at least six people, including three children, according to the civil defence service operated by Gaza’s Hamas-led administration. Netanyahu Meets Trump Amid Protests Against the War In Jabaliya, dozens of Palestinians demonstrated against the war, with social media footage showing them marching and chanting anti-Hamas slogans. While such protests are uncommon, they have taken place in recent weeks. Within Israel, resentment is growing over the renewed conflict and its implications for the hostages still held in Gaza. Hostage families, recently released individuals, and their supporters have urged President Trump to work towards ending the hostilities. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump on Monday, their second encounter since Trump began his new term in January. The prime minister stated that their agenda would include discussions on the conflict and the newly imposed 17% tariff on Israel — part of a broader U.S. global trade policy. “There are many leaders waiting for similar discussions regarding their economies. It reflects the strong personal ties and the critical connection between the U.S. and Israel during this difficult time,” Netanyahu said during the conclusion of his visit to Hungary. The United States, alongside Egypt and Qatar, is one of the key mediators in truce negotiations and supported Israel’s decision to resume the conflict last month. Israeli airstrike on Gaza School kills 27 Human Toll of the Conflict Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since then, including 15 medics whose bodies were only recovered a week after their deaths. Israel’s military recently revised its narrative about the incident, partially captured on video, which had drawn criticism from officials with the Red Cross, Red Crescent, and the United Nations. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251. Of those hostages, 59 remain in Gaza — with 24 believed to be alive. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 50,695 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s offensive. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says over half the dead were women and children. Israel claims it has killed about 20,000 militants but has not provided evidence to support this figure. Early Monday, airstrikes hit within the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital compound. Explosions were recorded by an Associated Press camera, with smoke and flames visible from a distance. No immediate reports of casualties were available. Escalation in the West Bank The Palestinian Health Ministry in the occupied West Bank said that an American-Palestinian teenager was killed, and two others were wounded — one critically — and alleged that Israeli settlers were responsible for the shooting. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident in Turmus Ayya, a town near Jerusalem with a significant Palestinian-American community. The war in Gaza has fuelled violence in the West Bank, where Israeli military operations have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians and the displacement of tens of thousands. There has also been a rise in both settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 17 people in the Gaza Strip early Friday, as Israeli forces pushed deeper into the northern part of the Palestinian territory, intensifying their campaign against Hamas. According to hospital sources, an airstrike in the southern city of Khan Younis killed at least 17 people, several of them from the same family. Hours later, rescuers were still searching through debris in hopes of finding survivors. This latest assault follows Israeli airstrikes a day earlier that killed over 100 Palestinians. In the past two weeks alone, hundreds have died as Israel escalates its operations to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages taken during the group’s October 2023 attack. On Friday, Israel announced that its ground forces had entered northern Gaza to expand what it calls a “security zone.” Ahead of the ground incursion, the Israeli military had ordered mass evacuations from parts of northern Gaza. The UN’s humanitarian office estimates that around 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel resumed combat operations after the breakdown of a ceasefire with Hamas last month. Israeli airstrike on Gaza School kills 27 Israel has recently declared plans to take control of large areas of Gaza and create a new security corridor across the territory. To increase pressure on Hamas, Israel has enforced a blockade on food, fuel, and aid for over a month, leaving civilians in desperate need as resources dwindle. Human rights groups have condemned the tactic as a war crime. Israel, however, maintains that the volume of aid delivered during a six-week truce was sufficient for Gaza’s population of roughly 2 million. Hamas has said it will only release the 59 remaining hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — if Israel agrees to release Palestinian prisoners, establish a permanent ceasefire, and withdraw from Gaza. The group has refused demands to disarm or vacate the territory. The airstrike early Friday destroyed a three-story building, killing members of one extended family and injuring at least 16 others. AP reporters saw bodies wrapped in blankets and charred remains being recovered from the wreckage. “We don’t know how to collect the bodies or how to bury them. We can’t even identify the remains. They’re burned and torn apart,” said Ismail Al-Aqqad, who lost his brother and his brother’s family in the strike. On Thursday, hospital staff reported that more than 30 bodies — including women and children — were brought to medical centers in and around Khan Younis. Meanwhile, Israel announced Friday that it had killed a senior Hamas commander in a strike on the Lebanese coastal city of Sidon. The military identified the target as Hassan Farhat, a Hamas commander in western Lebanon, saying he had orchestrated multiple attacks, including one in February that killed an Israeli soldier. As part of its renewed offensive, Israeli forces have expanded a buffer zone within Gaza, recaptured sections of the Netzarim corridor, and effectively split northern and southern Gaza. According to the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), more than 300 airstrikes were recorded in just 10 days at the end of March — nearly 10 times the number seen in February. The conflict began when Hamas-led fighters launched a surprise assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and taking 251 hostages. Most hostages have since been released through ceasefire deals, though Israel has also rescued a handful and recovered numerous bodies. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, but says more than half of the dead were women and children. Israel claims to have killed about 20,000 militants, though it has not provided supporting evidence. The war has devastated Gaza, leaving much of the territory in ruins and displacing up to 90% of its population at the height of the conflict.        

An Israeli strike Tuesday in southwestern Syria killed at least four people as Israeli troops occupying the area clashed with local residents, Syrian state media and a war monitor reported. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said troops fired back at gunmen who attacked them, before launching a drone attack. Syrian state-run news agency SANA said that several people were injured, including a woman. The report said Israeli tanks in the southwestern village of Koayiah also fired several rounds. Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at seven. The observatory and a town resident told The Associated Press that clashes had erupted between Israeli troops and residents when the Israeli troops fired. Israel seized a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone inside Syria after Islamist insurgents toppled President Bashar Assad and seized power in December, with Israeli officials saying they will thwart any threats. Israeli officials have also said that they will not allow the new Syrian military south of Damascus, claiming that they aim to protect the Druze, a minority sect present in both Syria and Israel. Syria’s new authorities and U.N. officials have said Israel is violating the 1974 agreement that set up the buffer zone along the border and called for its withdraw. Israeli legislators pass state budget in a move that shores up Netanyahu's government Elsewhere, the spokesperson of an investigative committee tasked with probing days of clashes and revenge attacks in Syria's coastal region that killed hundreds of civilians said they had listened to almost 100 testimonies and received dozens of written and recorded civilian and military statements. “There are areas where the events took place that are dangerous, and some witnesses and residents are afraid to communicate with the committee,” Yasser al-Farhan said at a news conference. He declined to elaborate on the committee's findings so far. The clashes erupted after pro-Assad loyalists attacked a security patrol in the coastal city of Lattakia, leading to revenge killings that broadly targeted Assad's minority Alawite community. The two-day violence was a major setback in Damascus' efforts to improve its image and convince Europe and the United States to lift economic sanctions after over a decade of conflict. SANA also said Tuesday that two internet cables were cut in an act of sabotage, cutting online access across much of the country for 12 hours.

Gaza's Health Ministry reports that Israel targeted the largest hospital in southern Gaza on Sunday night, resulting in one death, several injuries, and a significant fire. The strike hit the surgical building of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, just days after the hospital was overwhelmed with casualties following Israel’s resumption of attacks last week. Israel's military confirmed the strike, claiming it targeted a Hamas militant operating at the hospital. Israel attributes civilian deaths to Hamas, accusing them of operating in densely populated areas. Israeli airstrikes kill senior Hamas leader, 18 others; Houthis launch missile toward Israel Nasser Hospital, like many other medical facilities in Gaza, has sustained damage from Israeli airstrikes throughout the conflict. The Health Ministry also reported that over 50,000 Palestinians have died in the ongoing conflict, with the military stating that they have killed dozens of militants since the end of a ceasefire earlier this week. On the political front, public unrest in Israel has been growing, with protests outside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office and calls for changes in direction. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israel's military ordered thousands of people to leave the severely damaged Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, causing more displacement amidst ongoing strikes. Israel also confirmed the death of a Hamas leader, Salah Bardawil, in an airstrike in Muwasi, along with his wife. In southern Gaza, hospitals reported receiving 24 more bodies from overnight strikes, including several women and children. The Health Ministry's figures show a staggering death toll, including over 15,000 children. Meanwhile, Israel claims it has killed around 20,000 militants, although they have not provided evidence. Israel retaliates with strikes on Lebanon after rocket attack The ceasefire that had been in place since January has collapsed, with no progress in the planned negotiations for the next phase. Additionally, Israel's government passed a measure to create 13 new settlements in the West Bank, bringing the total number of settlements to 140, despite international opposition.

Israel has resumed its military campaign in Gaza with broader objectives and significantly fewer restrictions, raising concerns that this phase could be even more deadly and destructive than the previous one. The war restarted with an unexpected bombardment early Tuesday, killing hundreds of Palestinians, ending the ceasefire, and threatening further devastation unless Hamas releases the remaining hostages and departs from the region. One-month-old rescued from Gaza rubble after airstrike kills parents Former U.S. President Donald Trump has fully endorsed the renewed offensive and previously suggested that Gaza’s 2 million residents be relocated to other countries. Meanwhile, Iran-backed militant groups allied with Hamas are in disarray. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is stronger than ever, and the number of hostages held inside Gaza is at its lowest since Hamas launched the war on October 7, 2023. This gives the Israeli military greater operational freedom. These factors indicate that the next stage of the war could be even more intense than the last, during which tens of thousands of Palestinians were killed, the majority of the population was displaced, and much of Gaza was left in ruins. "If all the Israeli hostages are not released and Hamas is not expelled from Gaza, Israel will act with an intensity you have never seen," Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday. "Return the hostages and expel Hamas, and other options will become available, including relocation to other countries for those who wish. The alternative is total destruction and devastation." Even Less U.S. Pressure to Protect CiviliansThe Biden administration provided critical military and diplomatic backing to Israel during the first 15 months of the war but also sought to reduce civilian casualties. Early in the conflict, Biden convinced Israel to ease its total blockade on Gaza and consistently urged it to allow more humanitarian aid, with mixed success. He opposed Israel’s offensive in southern Gaza in May and temporarily halted a weapons shipment in protest, though Israel proceeded regardless. Biden also played a key role in securing the ceasefire through negotiations with Egypt and Qatar, with Trump’s team later finalising the deal. Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 40, Say Hospitals The Trump administration, however, appears to have imposed no restrictions. It has not criticised Israel for sealing off Gaza again, unilaterally withdrawing from the ceasefire agreement, or launching strikes that have killed hundreds of civilians. Israel maintains that it only targets militants and insists that dismantling Hamas is essential to preventing another attack like the one on October 7, when Palestinian militants killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages. The Biden administration previously questioned this approach, arguing that Hamas was no longer capable of carrying out such an attack. Before the January ceasefire, the offensive had resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its reports but states that more than half of the casualties were women and children. Trump Has Proposed Depopulating GazaTrump appeared to lose interest in the ceasefire weeks ago, saying it should be abandoned if Hamas did not release all hostages immediately. A brief White House effort to negotiate directly with Hamas was abandoned after Israel objected. Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, later blamed Hamas for the ceasefire’s collapse, stating that it had rejected proposals for the immediate release of hostages. Hamas has insisted that it will only release the remaining hostages—its primary bargaining tool—in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as outlined in the ceasefire agreement. Trump, meanwhile, has proposed relocating Gaza’s entire population to other countries so the U.S. could take control of the territory and rebuild it for other inhabitants. Palestinians have rejected this idea, insisting they will not leave their homeland, while Arab nations have also strongly opposed it. Human rights experts argue that such a move would likely violate international law. Israel has welcomed the proposal and stated that it is developing plans to implement it. Netanyahu’s Government Is More Secure Than EverNetanyahu faced intense pressure from the families of hostages and their supporters to maintain the ceasefire in hopes of securing their release. For months, thousands of protesters gathered in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, blocking highways and clashing with police. By resuming the war, Netanyahu has sidelined these critics and reinforced his hard-line coalition. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who resigned in protest against the ceasefire, rejoined the government shortly after Tuesday’s strikes. Along with Bezalel Smotrich, another far-right ally of Netanyahu, he supports continuing the war, facilitating "voluntary migration" of Gaza’s population, and re-establishing Jewish settlements there, which were removed two decades ago. Netanyahu has also dismissed or forced out several high-ranking officials who appeared more open to a hostage deal. Hamas and Its Allies Are in DisarrayAlthough Hamas still governs Gaza, most of its senior leaders have been killed, and its military capabilities have been significantly weakened. Israel claims to have eliminated around 20,000 militants, though it has not provided evidence. In its first attack after the ceasefire ended, Hamas launched three rockets on Thursday, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv but causing no casualties. Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which engaged in cross-border clashes with Israel for much of the war, was forced to accept a truce last autumn after Israeli strikes killed many of its leaders and devastated southern Lebanon. The fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a key ally, has further weakened the group. Iran, which backs both Hamas and Hezbollah and directly exchanged fire with Israel twice last year, appears unlikely to intervene. Israel claims to have severely damaged Iran’s air defences with a wave of retaliatory strikes last autumn, while Trump has warned of U.S. military action if Iran refuses to negotiate a new nuclear deal. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have resumed launching long-range missiles at Israel, though these have rarely caused significant damage or casualties. The U.S. has responded with a new round of strikes on the Houthis, potentially further reducing their operational capacity. International Criticism May Be More MutedThe initial phase of the war prompted global protests, condemnation from some European leaders, and United Nations action. Israel faced genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice, while the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. This time, however, the response could be different. The Trump administration has detained foreign-born pro-Palestinian student activists and others, while also threatening to withdraw billions in federal funding from universities accused of tolerating antisemitism. This crackdown makes a repeat of last year’s U.S. campus protests less likely. European nations, already engaged in disputes with Trump over aid to Ukraine and trade tariffs, seem unlikely to challenge him over Middle East policy. Both the U.S. and Israel have firmly rejected the actions of international courts, accusing them of bias. In early February, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC, of which neither the U.S. nor Israel is a member.

Israeli airstrikes overnight and into Thursday killed at least 40 Palestinians across Gaza, according to three hospitals. The attacks targeted homes in the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, as well as Beit Lahiya in the north. Israel resumed intense bombardments on Tuesday, breaking a ceasefire that had paused fighting and enabled the release of over two dozen hostages. Israeli officials blamed Hamas for the renewed conflict, accusing the group of rejecting an Israeli-backed proposal that differed from their prior agreement. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 400 Palestinians—primarily women and children—were killed on Tuesday alone. There have been no reports of Hamas launching rockets or carrying out attacks since fighting resumed. Israeli Ground Troops AdvanceFor the first time since the ceasefire took effect in January, Israeli ground troops moved deeper into Gaza on Wednesday, securing part of a corridor that divides the northern and southern regions of the territory. Israel has also cut off essential supplies, including food, fuel, and humanitarian aid, to Gaza’s roughly 2 million residents. Officials say military operations will continue until Hamas releases the 59 remaining hostages—35 of whom are believed to be dead—and relinquishes control of the territory. The Trump administration, which mediated the earlier ceasefire, has expressed full support for Israel. Hamas has stated that it will only release the hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza, as outlined in the January agreement brokered by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar. Israel launches ground operation to retake key Gaza corridor The militant group, which does not recognize Israel, has indicated a willingness to transfer power to the Palestinian Authority or a politically independent committee but refuses to disarm until Israel ends its long-standing occupation of lands Palestinians seek for a future state. Civilian CasualtiesIsrael has yet to comment on the latest airstrikes. The military maintains that its attacks target militants and blames Hamas for civilian casualties, citing the group's presence in residential areas. The European Hospital in Rafah reported that 26 people, mostly women and children, were killed in strikes on two homes. One attack killed a father and his seven children. Meanwhile, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received seven bodies from an overnight airstrike on a home, and the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahiya reported seven more deaths from a separate strike. Background of the WarThe war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a deadly assault into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages. Many hostages have since been freed through ceasefire deals, with Israeli forces rescuing eight alive and recovering dozens of bodies. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has been one of the deadliest and most destructive in recent history. The Gaza Health Ministry reports nearly 49,000 Palestinian deaths, stating that more than half were women and children. While Israel claims to have killed about 20,000 militants, it has not provided evidence. Israeli strikes killing hundreds in Gaza are 'Only the Beginning': Netanyahu The war displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s population at its peak, leaving vast devastation across the enclave. Many who returned home during the ceasefire found their neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Source: With input from agency 

Israel's military announced on Wednesday that it had initiated a “limited ground operation” aimed at reclaiming a portion of a vital Gaza corridor. This escalation appears to intensify Israel's renewed offensive in Gaza, which has broken the ceasefire with Hamas that began in January. As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel had withdrawn from the Netzarim corridor, a former military zone that divided northern Gaza from the south. Israeli strikes killing hundreds in Gaza are 'Only the Beginning': Netanyahu In other developments, a United Nations staff member was killed, and five others were injured in a strike on a U.N. guesthouse in Gaza on Wednesday, as Israel continued its new offensive, breaking the fragile ceasefire with Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned of intensifying the assault and stated that evacuations from combat zones would soon be ordered. He also issued a stern warning regarding hostages, asserting that if they were not freed, Israel would act with unprecedented force. Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS), refrained from specifying who was behind the strike in Deir al-Balah, but confirmed that the explosion was intentional and not connected to demining activities. He stated that Israel had been informed of the U.N. facility's location after the first strike and had acknowledged it as a U.N. site. The injured were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital in Deir al-Balah. The Israeli military denied earlier claims that it had targeted the U.N. compound, but Moreira da Silva revealed that strikes had hit near the compound on Monday, and directly on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in the death of the U.N. staff member. There have been no reports of rocket fire or other militant attacks from Gaza since Israel began its airstrikes early Tuesday, effectively ending the ceasefire with Hamas. The ongoing bombardment has resulted in at least 436 deaths, including 183 children and 94 women, with another 678 people wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The military has stated that it targets only militants, attributing civilian casualties to Hamas, which operates in densely populated areas. In the new offensive, the Israeli military claimed to have struck numerous militants and their sites, including the command center of a Hamas battalion. Israel confirms killing Hamas's 'head of government' in Gaza The escalation of violence threatens to return the region to full-scale war after a ceasefire agreement brokered in January had briefly paused the conflict. During this pause, Israel and Hamas had engaged in prisoner exchanges and were poised to negotiate an extension of the truce. However, these talks never materialized, as Hamas demanded Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza and the cessation of the war, while Israel proposed extending the truce and securing the release of more hostages without committing to ending the conflict.