‘Unleashed hell’: Death toll rises after Israel’s ‘extensive strikes’

The world has expressed outrage over Israel resuming its deadly attacks on Gaza but the US said Hamas has no one to blame but themselves. Follow updates.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that “Hamas must understand that the rules of the game have changed”, after Israel unleashed its deadliest strikes on Gaza since a ceasefire began in January.

“If it does not immediately release all the hostages, the gates of hell will open, and it will face the full might of the IDF (military) in the air, sea, and on the ground until its complete destruction,” the Israeli defence chief was quoted as saying in a ministry statement as he visited the Tel Nof airbase.

Israel military has conducted “extensive strikes on terror targets” in Gaza. Picture: X

The world has unanimously condemned the strikes, while Washington has supported them and, as Israel stated, cooperated with the attacks.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said Gazans were being subjected to an “intolerable level of suffering” following the most intense Israeli airstrikes in Gaza since a fragile ceasefire took effect.

The strikes, by far the deadliest since the truce came into force on January 19, killed more than 400 people, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

“Unfortunately, we are witnessing a situation in which we have an intolerable level of suffering for the Palestinian people, with the air raids that killed hundreds of people,” Guterres told reporters at the UN in Geneva.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said resuming the war would fuel “hell on Earth”.

“Awful scenes of civilians killed, among them children, following waves of heavy bombardment from Israeli forces overnight,” the UNRWA chief said on X.

Injured Palestinians, including children and women are being brought to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for treatment as Israel launches 'large-scale' air strikes across Gaza Strip. Picture: Getty Images

The IDF said the strike came after it identified plans by Hamas to launch attacks on Israel.

Palestinian militant group Hamas accused Israel of violating their ceasefire agreement with the extensive strikes.

The United States said that Hamas bore full blame for Israel’s massive deadly airstrikes, saying the militants could have accepted a ceasefire extension proposal by US special envoy Steve Witkoff.

“Hamas bears total responsibility for the war, and for the resumption of hostilities,” a State Department spokesperson said.

“Every death would have and could have been avoided had Hamas accepted the ‘bridge’ proposal that SE Witkoff offered last Wednesday.”

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