Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he instructed the military to take “strong action” against Hamas in Gaza in response to the group’s refusal to release hostages and rejection of all ceasefire proposals.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
The strikes come after nearly two months of a ceasefire to pause the 17-month long war where dozens of hostages were released for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Gaza medics reported at least 80 people killed, including many children, in a series of violent air attacks since a ceasefire began on January 19.
A senior Hamas official accused Israel of unilaterally overturning the ceasefire agreement.
Three houses were hit in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, a building in Gaza City, and targets in Khan Younis and Rafah, according to medics and witnesses.
Arab mediators, backed by the United States, haven’t been able to hammer out differences between the two warring parties in talks held over the past two weeks. (Agencies)
