More than 400 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more were injured during overnight airstrikes launched by Israel, the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza told NBC News on Tuesday (March 18).
The Israel Defense Forces launched the airstrikes after claiming Hamas broke its ceasefire agreement by refusing to release “all our hostages — living and dead” initially taken captive during the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office said in a statement obtained by NBC News, confirming its military would act against Hamas “with increasing military force.”
Hamas claimed that Israel violated the ceasefire agreement by “exposing the prisoners in Gaza to an unknown fate.” Hamas’ highest-ranking security official Mahmoud Abu Wafah was reportedly among the people killed on Tuesday.
The overnight airstrikes served as the biggest series of attacks in an otherwise calm two-month span since the hostage-prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect on January 19. The White House was consulted by Israel prior to it launching its airstrikes on Gaza, press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed FOX News.
The Israeli airstrikes took place days after President Donald Trump ordered a series of airstrikes on Yemen in an effort to take out Houthi rebels on Saturday (March 15).
“As President Trump has made it clear — Hamas, the Houthis, Iran, all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel, but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay. All hell will break loose,” Leavitt said.
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