Israeli airstrikes killed at least 404 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip overnight, according to health authorities, marking the deadliest series of attacks since a ceasefire began in late January.
Gaza’s health ministry revised the death toll upward from initial reports, with figures ranging between 404 and 413 across different official communication channels. Officials also reported that more than 660 injured people have arrived at hospitals, with many others believed to be trapped under rubble.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported that medical facilities across Gaza are “overwhelmed” following the attacks, with spokesman Tommaso Della Longa noting critical shortages of basic medical supplies including painkillers due to Israel’s ongoing restrictions on aid.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was carried out “to achieve the war objectives set by the political leadership, including the release of all the hostages,” claiming Hamas had “repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all the proposals” from mediators.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu’s office added in a statement.
Hamas described the attacks as a “blatant violation of all international and humanitarian conventions.”
At least four Hamas government officials were killed in the airstrikes, according to Gaza’s government media office, including the undersecretary of the interior ministry and the head of government public works.
The Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued an “emergency call” on social media, stating they were heading to Jerusalem to protest. “With each passing day, the danger to the hostages grows. Military pressure could further endanger their lives and complicate efforts to bring them home safely,” the group said.
Israel says 59 hostages are still being held captive in Gaza, with up to 24 believed to be alive.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed horror at the strikes, stating, “This nightmare must end immediately.” He emphasised that “the last 18 months of violence have made abundantly clear that there is no military path out of this crisis.”
The airstrikes have prompted strong international condemnation, with Turkey’s foreign ministry denouncing what it called a “massacre” representing “a new phase” in Israel’s “genocide policy.”
Several European nations also issued statements, with Belgium’s deputy prime minister saying the strikes’ “heavy toll” undermines ceasefire objectives and reduces the likelihood of hostage returns, while Malta’s prime minister condemned what he called “barbarous attacks.”
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israeli communities, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s military campaign has since killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of Gaza’s infrastructure, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Experts, governments, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organisations have accused Israel of carrying out genocide against the Palestinian people.
