18-3-2025 (TEL AVIV) Israel launched widespread military operations across Gaza early Tuesday, marking the collapse of January’s fragile ceasefire arrangement. Palestinian health authorities confirmed the devastating toll, with fatalities surpassing 300.
The comprehensive assault spanned the length of the besieged territory, striking populated areas from Gaza City in the north to Rafah along the Egyptian border. Healthcare facilities, already stretched to breaking point from 15 months of conflict, witnessed harrowing scenes as bloodied casualties arrived in unprecedented numbers.
Mohammed Zaqut, who heads the Palestinian health ministry, revealed that women and children bore the brunt of the casualties, with hundreds sustaining injuries. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported managing 86 fatalities and 134 wounded, whilst noting that numerous victims reached hospitals through private transport.
The military operation’s scope far exceeded the targeted drone strikes that had characterised recent Israeli actions. Netanyahu’s office released a statement declaring intensified military pressure against Hamas, citing the militant group’s unwillingness to release the remaining 59 hostages.
Prior to the offensive, diplomatic efforts in Doha had reached an impasse. Israel, backed by Washington, sought the hostages’ freedom in exchange for extending the ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover. Hamas, however, demanded permanent cessation of hostilities and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The White House confirmed prior consultation with Israeli authorities regarding the strikes, which targeted Hamas’s leadership structure and infrastructure. Spokesperson Brian Hughes pointedly remarked that Hamas had chosen conflict over extending the ceasefire through hostage releases.
The renewed violence has cast a dark shadow over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. The territory, home to over two million people, has endured catastrophic destruction since the conflict began with Hamas’s deadly incursion into Israel on 7th October 2023, when militants killed approximately 1,200 people and seized 251 hostages.
Local witnesses described scenes of chaos in Rafah as Israeli tank fire forced recently returned families to flee northward towards Khan Younis. The territory’s healthcare system lies in tatters, with major facilities like Nasser Hospital, Al-Aqsa Hospital, and Al-Ahly Hospital struggling to function amidst widespread destruction.
The conflict’s toll has been staggering – Palestinian health authorities report over 48,000 deaths since October, with crucial infrastructure reduced to rubble across the territory. The collapse of January’s ceasefire agreement, which had facilitated the exchange of 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, marks a grim new chapter in this devastating conflict.
