OAN Staff James Meyers
8:10am – Thursday, March 20, 2025
Israel launched airstrikes throughout the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing more than 400 people, local health officials said in the deadliest artillery fire since the war began in Hamas.
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The order comes from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after terrorist groups rejected the Jewish state's request to change the ceasefire agreement. Israeli officials said the operation is expected to expand freely. The Trump administration said they were told about the plan from Israel and that they support it.
A Hamas official said the decision by Netanyahu was a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages. The terrorist group currently owns 59 of the 250 hostages filmed on October 7thth Terrorist attack.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army ordered the people to evacuate eastern Gaza and move to the heart of the region.
The latest move comes as Israel warned 2 million Palestinians in Gaza that they are short on consumables two weeks after cutting off all food, medicines and fuel.
“Israel will now act against Hamas, increasing its military strength,” Netanyahu's office said.
“We will not stop fighting unless the hostages are returned to our homes and all the purposes of the war are achieved,” said Defence Minister Israel Katz.
The Trump administration has held responsibility for the latest strike against Hamas. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said the terrorist group “we were able to release hostages and extend the ceasefire, but instead chose denial and war.”
Israel vowed on Tuesday to continue fighting in Gaza until all hostages are returned to release its most intense strike since the ceasefire.
The strike has been far the biggest and fatal since the armistice came into effect in January. Hamas has not responded to strikes so far.
Hamas accused the Jewish state of violating the ceasefire and mediators of making dangerous efforts to ensure a permanent ceasefire.
Due to the strike, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemeni, denounced Israel's “resuming attacks on the Gaza Strip” and vowed to escalate their operations.
“The Palestinians will not be left alone in this fight. Yemen will continue to support and support and expand the steps of conflict,” a statement from the group's Supreme Political Council said.
Last weekend, the US launched a new airstrike over the weekend, hitting Houthis in Yemen in retaliation for attacks on ships. Reports say more than 53 people were killed in the attack.
President Donald Trump threatened to further expand the conflict, saying Iran would “suffer from consequences” due to further attacks on Hooty.
The negotiation team from Israel and Hamas was in Doha as Egyptian and Qatari mediators were trying to bring both peace after the end of the early stages of the ceasefire.
With US support, Israel had sought the return of the remaining hostages in exchange for long, certain people to stop the war, until after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday in April.
However, Hamas argues that, in accordance with the terms of the original ceasefire agreement, they want to move into negotiations for a permanent end to the war and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif Al-Kanoor said on Tuesday that discussions with mediators are continuing and that the terrorist group is set to complete and implement the original Gaza ceasefire agreement.
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