Israeli Finance Minister and outgoing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir welcomed the resumption of war on the Gaza Strip, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for security consultations attended by the Defense Minister and security chiefs.

At dawn on Tuesday, Israel resumed its war on the Gaza Strip with a series of violent airstrikes that have so far resulted in hundreds of deaths, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Far-right minister Smotrich said he "continued to this point in the government despite his opposition to the deal (ceasefire agreement), and that we are more determined than ever to complete the mission of destroying Hamas."

Smotrich added that the operation is gradual, and that we have been planning for it in recent weeks since the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, took office. He said, "The new operation in Gaza will look different from what has been achieved so far, and we must re-mobilize with strength, faith, and determination until victory."

For his part, the Likud leader, who resigned from his position in protest against the ceasefire in Gaza, affirmed that the Jewish Power party welcomes Israel's return, under Netanyahu's leadership, to intensive fighting in Gaza.

In the hours following the start of Israel's surprise attack on the Gaza Strip early Tuesday morning, there were growing indications that the Otzma Yehudit party, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, would return to the Israeli government.

With his main demand met, the resumption of fighting in Gaza on Tuesday morning, the path is now clear for Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party to return to the government.

Ben-Gvir demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rescind his directive not to hold discussions about the attack, in order to promote a return to government amid renewed fighting in Gaza.

However, Ben-Gvir complied with Netanyahu's instructions, and Otzma Yehudit decided this morning to impose a ban on dialogue. Party ministers are not speaking publicly at this stage, but he requested permission to speak on the matter.

An Israeli prisoner was killed and two others were wounded in Gaza, following the renewed Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which began at dawn on Tuesday and has resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries.

A Hamas leader told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper that an Israeli prisoner was killed and two others were injured among the victims of the Israeli bombing of Gaza.

The leader, whose name was not mentioned by the newspaper, confirmed that Netanyahu's main goal is to get rid of the Israeli prisoners.

He continued, "The movement agreed to US envoy Boehler's proposal, but was surprised by Witkoff's proposal."

He stressed that Hamas has implemented all its obligations since the beginning of the ceasefire agreement.

The Israeli occupation forces resumed their aggression on the Gaza Strip at dawn on Tuesday, in a blatant violation of the truce. Airstrikes targeted various areas across the Strip, killing at least 342 Palestinians and wounding hundreds more, on the 58th day of the ceasefire agreement.

In the latest developments on the ground, medical sources reported the deaths of more than 342 people, including 179 from Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip—according to a preliminary toll—and the injury of dozens more as a result of Israeli airstrikes targeting several areas in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 51st consecutive day, and on the Nour Shams camp for the 38th day, amid military reinforcements, home demolitions, and the forced displacement of residents.

According to local sources, occupation forces continued last night to send military reinforcements, including heavy vehicles and bulldozers, toward the city and its two camps. Meanwhile, infantry units were deployed on the main streets, restricting the movement of vehicles and harassing civilians. They also fired sound bombs to terrorize residents.

This morning, Israeli bulldozers demolished homes and residential buildings in the Al-Gharifat area of the Al-Manshiya neighborhood in Nour Shams refugee camp. The demolition was part of a plan to build roads inside the camp and alter its geographic features, especially after residents were forcibly evacuated.

In the same context, local sources reported that occupation forces forced residents this morning to evacuate their homes in the Jabal al-Salihin neighborhood of Nour Shams camp, which has been subjected to a tight siege, accompanied by widespread raids and vandalism of homes, and threats to force residents to evacuate. The camp has become almost empty of its residents, after more than 12,000 refugees were displaced from it.

Meanwhile, Tulkarm camp has witnessed a massive exodus of the remaining residents of its neighborhoods on the outskirts, including Qaqun, Abu al-Ful, and Marbat Hanoun, after the occupation forced them to leave through threats and intimidation. Local sources reported that 200 families were displaced from their homes in the past two days due to the escalation of the occupation's aggression and its threats to residents to leave their homes and not return to them.

Occupation soldiers are also deployed extensively throughout all neighborhoods, raiding empty homes and turning them into military barracks and sniper positions. They are also raiding shops, businesses, and mosques, vandalizing their contents and seizing some of them.

Israeli occupation forces continue to seize several homes on Nablus Street, particularly those overlooking Tulkarm refugee camp, where their vehicles are positioned in the vicinity, amid strict measures restricting the movement of vehicles and civilians.

These attacks come amid the ongoing escalation by Israeli occupation forces in the city of Tulkarm and its two camps, which has resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians, including a child and two women, one of whom was eight months pregnant. Dozens more have been injured and arrested, and more than 24,000 people have been forcibly displaced from the two camps.

The aggression also caused widespread destruction to the infrastructure, including water, electricity, sewage, and communications networks, as well as homes, shops, and vehicles, which were completely and partially demolished, burned, vandalized, looted, and seized. The entrances and alleys of the camps were also closed off with earth mounds.

Medical sources announced on Tuesday that the death toll from Israeli occupation forces' bombardment of various areas in the Gaza Strip has risen to 326.

Medical sources reported that 326 dead, most of them children and women, have arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip so far. 660 citizens have been injured, and a number of victims remain under the rubble.

The occupation forces resumed their aggression on the Gaza Strip at dawn, after a hiatus of more than two months, launching a series of intensive airstrikes and firing shells at several areas in the Strip.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the resumption of the war on the Gaza Strip, and that its scope will gradually expand in the coming hours.

The resumption of aggression against the Gaza Strip comes amid fears of a worsening humanitarian situation in the Strip, given the ongoing blockade and the cut-off of medical and humanitarian supplies.

Since October 7, 2023, the occupying forces have launched an aggression against the Gaza Strip, resulting in the martyrdom of more than 48,572 citizens, the majority of whom were children and women, and the injury of 112,032 others, while a number of victims remain under the rubble.

The families of Israeli prisoners said Tuesday that by resuming the war of extermination in Gaza, the government has chosen to abandon our relatives in the Strip.

"The greatest fears of the families, the hostages, and the citizens of Israel have been realized," she added in a post on the X platform. "The Israeli government has chosen to abandon the hostages."

She continued: "We are shocked, angry, and horrified by the deliberate dismantling of the horrific process of repatriating our loved ones from Hamas captivity."

She pointed out that "returning to fighting before the release of the last of the abductees would come at the expense of the 59 abductees still in Gaza who could be rescued and returned."

She explained that "the Israeli government refused to declare the end of the war in order to implement the next steps in the agreement and return all hostages."

She considered that "declaring a return to war to return the hostages is a complete deception, as military pressure puts the hostages and soldiers at risk."

The families of the Israeli prisoners added: "We must return to the ceasefire. Many lives are at stake."

She called on US President Donald Trump to "continue to act as he has announced and acted to date, to release all hostages."

In a letter to the Israeli government, she said: "The families of the kidnapped children are demanding answers: Why aren't you fighting in the negotiating room? Why did you withdraw from an agreement that could have brought everyone home?"

The families of the Israeli captives added: "There will be no security, no victory, and no resurrection until the last captive returns to his homeland."

At dawn on Tuesday, 254 Palestinians, including children, were killed and more than 440 others injured, some critically, after Israel suddenly resumed its war of extermination in the Gaza Strip. The escalation involved a major military operation that swept across most areas of the Strip, targeting civilians during the pre-dawn meal.

This attack represents the largest violation of the ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States last January.

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said Tuesday that Tel Aviv had consulted with the administration of US President Donald Trump regarding the expanded Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip early Tuesday morning.

"The Israelis consulted with Trump and the White House about their attacks on Gaza tonight," Levitt said in an interview with Fox News.

The memo also added what the US President previously said: "Hamas, the Houthis, Iran, and anyone who seeks to terrorize not only Israel but the United States as well will pay a heavy price... and the gates of hell will open upon them."

Trump previously issued a public warning using similar language, saying that "Hamas must release all prisoners or the gates of hell will open wide."

This massive Israeli attack on Gaza, launched early Tuesday morning, came after negotiations stalled over extending the first phase of the ceasefire agreement or moving to its second phase.

It also came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting at the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, where he made the decision to resume the war, informed Israeli sources told the Maariv newspaper.

Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the Civil Defense in Gaza, revealed this morning that "more than 220 people were transferred to hospitals in the Gaza Strip, the majority of them children, women, and the elderly, as a result of the Israeli aggression." He pointed out that "the occupation carried out more than 200 air raids and violent artillery shelling, and is still continuing the shelling," in raids unprecedented in scope and frequency since the truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began two months ago, according to Agence France-Presse.

Palestinian sources have revealed the names of several Hamas leaders killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip 

The victims are:

*Member of Hamas's Political Bureau, Issam Al-Daalis.

*Abu Obeida al-Jamasi, member of Hamas's political bureau and head of the emergency committee.

*Brigadier General Bahjat Hassan Abu Sultan, head of internal operations in Gaza.

*Mahmoud Abu Watfa, Hamas's Interior Ministry representative.

*Abu Omar Al-Hatta, the justice minister in the Hamas government.

Axios quoted an Israeli official as saying that the military kept the operational plan for striking Gaza highly secret and within a relatively narrow circle to surprise Hamas.

The official added that Hamas had been preparing in recent days to launch attacks against Israel and had taken steps to rearm.

For its part, Hebrew media reported that the Israeli airstrike included the assassination of mid-level military and political leaders in Hamas.

Hamas said early Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had resumed his genocidal war, having failed to honor his commitments and fulfill his obligations to mediators regarding the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which he had reversed during his massive attack on the Gaza Strip.

"Netanyahu didn't just prevent food and medicine from entering Gaza, he also bombed and killed the children of Gaza while they slept," movement leader Izzat al-Rishq added in a statement.

He continued: "The occupier did not respect its pledges and did not fulfill its obligations to the mediators and the world."

He considered Netanyahu's decision to resume the war of extermination "a lifeboat for him from the internal crises," noting that this decision means "sacrificing the occupation's prisoners and sentencing them to death."

He called on Arab and Islamic countries and the international community to "take action to curb Israeli brutality and its war of extermination against civilians in Gaza."

He also called on the mediators to "reveal the facts about Netanyahu's reversal of the ceasefire agreement and hold him solely responsible for pouring oil on the fire in Gaza and the region."

Al-Rashq reiterated his movement's assertion that Israel "will not achieve through war what it failed to achieve through negotiations."

He called on the people of the Arab and Islamic nations to demonstrate in rejection of Israel's resumption of its genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

At dawn on Tuesday, Netanyahu resumed the genocide in Gaza with a massive, surprise airstrike that killed more than 190 Palestinians, including children.

According to local sources, the Israeli occupation forces directly targeted civilian homes, displaced persons' tents, and shelters.

The attack came after Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz instructed the military to act "forcefully" against the Gaza Strip, allegedly because Hamas had rejected offers it received from US envoy Steve Witkoff and mediators, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office.

Hebrew media reported on Thursday that US envoy Witkoff had presented an updated proposal to both sides stipulating the release of five Israeli prisoners in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire, the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the entry into negotiations on the second phase.

Hamas announced on Friday its acceptance of a proposal submitted by mediators, which includes the release of an Israeli-American soldier and the bodies of four dual nationals, as part of the resumption of negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

Netanyahu's office statement claimed that the army targeted Hamas targets in its attack, while vowing that "Israel will act against Hamas with increased military force from now on."

In turn, the Israeli occupation army and the General Security Service (Shin Bet) said in a joint statement: "Based on directives from the political echelon, IDF and Shin Bet forces are launching a large-scale attack in various parts of the Gaza Strip."

For its part, Hamas considered the attack in a statement "a resumption of the war of genocide and a coup against the ceasefire agreement."

In early March, the first phase of the 42-day ceasefire agreement in Gaza ended, while Israel evaded entering the second phase and ending the war.

Israel seeks to extend the first phase of the agreement, which entered into force on January 19, 2025, to release the largest possible number of Israeli prisoners without offering compensation or fulfilling the military and humanitarian obligations stipulated in the agreement.

In return, Hamas affirms its commitment to implementing the agreement, demands that Israel abide by all its provisions, and calls on mediators to immediately begin negotiations for the second phase, which includes an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a complete cessation of hostilities.

Since assuming his duties as Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, a lawyer and political scientist from a Jewish family, has taken his first steps in diplomacy by negotiating a ceasefire in Gaza. He has achieved a success that his predecessors failed to achieve, as they appeared confused and blinded by bias to the point of complicity in a war of extermination. This war could have been stopped and all detainees released from its first months, had good intentions outweighed bad intentions, as the former head of the Shin Bet stated.

Today, the man returns in similar rounds to put the agreement he concluded back on track, after Netanyahu turned against him, in response to the blackmail of his partners, who threaten to break away from him and not pass the budget on the 25th and 26th of this month. Contrary to the objective image he presented during the first round of negotiations, and his overcoming of the evasions of the "fox" who used "Saturday" as an excuse to delay his attendance to complete the ceasefire, Witkov these days appears as if he is turning against himself after ousting his colleague Boehler for prioritizing his country's interests over Israel's whims. Witkov has begun to flatter Netanyahu and go along with his retreat, knowing his deception and lies, to evade the requirements of the second stage. Witkov may wait until the end of this month for the budget to be passed, freeing Netanyahu from the pressure of his partners and making him more susceptible to pressure and manipulation, to complete the agreement he played a major role in achieving. "He is not a traditional diplomat, and he does not care about protocols. He seeks to achieve results quickly," say those close to him.

Osama Hamdan's revelation yesterday about Witkoff's new proposal is not reassuring. Adhering to it will threaten the lives of detainees and exacerbate the suffering of Gazans who are consuming the dung beetles to stave off hunger under the severe blockade. Between now and the budget's passage, Gaza will experience difficult times, given the escalating daily killings and shelling of displaced persons in their homes, markets, and shelters in the areas to which they have returned.

Israeli occupation forces stormed the eastern neighborhood of Jenin at dawn on Tuesday.

Local sources reported that a large number of occupation vehicles stormed the eastern neighborhood and the German neighborhood, and took up positions in the Wadi Ezzedine area, without any arrests being reported so far.

The occupation continues to send military reinforcements through the Jalameh military checkpoint into the city of Jenin and the surrounding area of its camp, as the Israeli aggression enters its 57th day.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revealed that Israel had planned to resume the war on the Gaza Strip since the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, took office.

He stressed that "Israel had planned to resume the war on the Palestinian Strip since the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, assumed his position," that is, on March 6, while negotiations regarding extending the truce were ongoing in Doha.

He added in a statement on his Facebook account, "The new attack on Gaza is gradual and completely different from what was achieved previously," noting that "this attack aims to destroy Hamas and return all prisoners."

"We are more determined than ever to destroy Hamas," he continued.

The Israeli army announced earlier today that it had bombed dozens of targets in the devastated Gaza Strip, stressing that "the strikes will continue as long as necessary and will extend beyond the scope of air raids."

It is noteworthy that negotiations to extend the ceasefire agreement that came into effect in Gaza on January 19th had begun weeks ago through mediators (Egypt, Qatar, and the United States), but they did not lead to an extension of the truce, amid an exchange of accusations between Tel Aviv and Hamas.

The Israeli Attorney General's Office announced on Tuesday that it had suspended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's court testimony due to renewed fighting in the Gaza Strip.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Netanyahu is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting of the security cabinet at 11:00 a.m. local time (9:00 GMT).

Earlier, an Israeli military spokesman announced that "based on directives from the political echelon, IDF and Shin Bet forces are launching a large-scale attack on terrorist targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip."

For its part, Hamas accused Netanyahu of reneging on the ceasefire agreement and reneging on all of his commitments, calling on "the sons of the Arab and Islamic nations and the free people of the world to demonstrate in rejection of the resumption of war."

The Ministry of Health announced, at dawn on Tuesday, the death of the young man Khaled Saleh Qaraan (25 years old), and the injury of three others, by Israeli occupation forces’ bullets, during their raid on the city of Qalqilya.

Medical sources said that the young man, Qaraan, died from a gunshot wound, and three others sustained moderate injuries to the thigh and foot, as well as physical assault.

The victim's body will be transported after the noon prayer from Qalqilya Governmental Hospital to his hometown, where he will be buried in the town's cemetery.

Special occupation forces, accompanied by military reinforcements, stormed the city from its eastern entrance and raided the Kafr Saba neighborhood near the Martyrs' Monument at dawn today. During the raid, soldiers randomly fired live bullets and tear gas canisters at homes. They then raided a café in the area where young men were present, leading to the martyrdom of Khaled, whose wedding was scheduled to take place immediately after Eid, and the injury of three others.

The occupation forces imposed a curfew, obstructed the work of Red Crescent ambulances and medical crews, and prevented them from reaching the injured immediately after they were reported, by stopping them.

Sources reported that the occupation forces arrested two citizens: Nasr Adwan and Saeed Salama, while they were in the café that was raided.

The Wall Street Journal quoted an Israeli official as saying that US President Donald Trump gave Israel the green light to resume attacks on Hamas after the movement refused to release the hostages.

According to the newspaper, the Israeli official indicated on Tuesday that Israel had informed the United States in advance of the operation in the Gaza Strip.

White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt confirmed in an interview with Fox News that Israel had given advance notice of the attacks.

Levitt warned Hamas and other "enemies of Israel and the United States" in the region that they would "pay a heavy price," saying, "The gates of hell will open," echoing a frequent threat to President Trump.

Trump pressed for the release of all remaining hostages, repeatedly threatening that Hamas would face a return to war if it did not comply. Among the hostages is one living American citizen, Idan Alexander, a dual citizen who was serving in the Israeli military when he was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

According to the newspaper, "Of the 59 hostages remaining in Gaza, Israel believes that up to 24 of them are still alive."

Hamas blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for endangering the lives of the remaining hostages by canceling the ceasefire.

Israeli media reported that Tel Aviv decided to close the Rafah crossing, preventing sick and injured Gaza residents from exiting through it for medical treatment.

According to the Walla news website, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued instructions on Tuesday to keep the Rafah crossing closed to medical supplies from the Gaza Strip to Jordan and Egypt, in an effort to pressure Hamas.

In turn, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Israel closed the Rafah crossing, indicating that Hamas was preparing to launch a large-scale attack against Israel.

The Broadcasting Authority stated that "the airstrike was the beginning of a warning to Hamas, and that the Israeli army is targeting senior Hamas leaders and its infrastructure." It noted that education in the Gaza Strip has been canceled and the train line to Sderot has been suspended.

Earlier, an Israeli military spokesman announced that "based on directives from the political echelon, IDF and Shin Bet forces are launching a large-scale attack on terrorist targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip."

For its part, Hamas accused Netanyahu of reneging on the ceasefire agreement and reneging on all of his commitments, calling on "the sons of the Arab and Islamic nations and the free people of the world to demonstrate in rejection of the resumption of war."

 By citing fentanyl as the reason, the US government announced on February 27 it would hit goods from China with a new 10 percent tariff from March 4. This policy is the latest manifestation of the absurd logic that China is responsible for America's fentanyl problem. But this is the way of the world's superpower: shift the blame onto others rather than taking responsibility itself.  

In fact, most of the reporting by Western media outlets on China's fentanyl regulation is speculative, lacking evidence or on-the-ground investigation. This absence of solid information has seriously misled the public. In stark contrast to what is portrayed, China has the strictest counter-narcotic policies in the world and has made painstaking efforts and achieved significant progress in combating narcotic and psychotropic substances.  

For example, fentanyl-related substances are so tightly regulated in China that before the US blamed China for the American fentanyl crisis, most Chinese people had never even heard of the word. Those who actually need such medication must first get a special "red prescription" from the hospital. Each prescription is individually registered and stored in a double-locked cabinet. Two people must be present to open it, with the keys held separately. The use of these drugs is carefully recorded in dedicated ledgers, with daily inventory checks to ensure no pills go missing. The distribution data is shared among medical institutions, regulators and law enforcement agencies.  

Some reports claim that local Chinese officials avoid supervising or prosecuting illegal fentanyl production to protect jobs and economic growth. These claims are false. In China, drug crimes carry even harsher penalties than economic crimes, and counter-narcotics efforts are a highly decisive factor in evaluating local officials' career advancement. Poor performance in anti-drug efforts alone can disqualify officials from any awards or promotions. Others suggest China is waging a "reverse Opium War" against the US by intentionally exporting fentanyl to America. This is absurd. China's painful memories of the Opium Wars have led to a deep national aversion to drugs. The Chinese people, more than anyone in the world, understand how drug addiction has affected the country. Furthermore, China, more than any other country in the world, loathes those who tolerate or collaborate with drug traffickers for political or military reasons. Confucius said over 2,500 years ago: "Do not do unto others what you do not want done unto you." This principle continues to guide China's actions today.  

Some argue that while China regulates fentanyl-related substances, it is not doing enough to control its precursor chemicals. What is intentionally omitted in this claim is the fact that China has listed 38 types of controlled precursor chemicals (including a category of ephedrine substances) as of 2023, surpassing the 14 varieties regulated by the UN.   After all, precursor chemicals are not drugs. China is one of the world's major producers of many things, including chemicals, but that does not make China responsible when a country finds itself in a fentanyl crisis.   

International drug policy officials describe China's regulation of precursor chemicals as "active, if not necessarily proactive."    

Since 2024, China's cooperation with the US on drug control has achieved hard-won results, and discussions are underway to deepen this collaboration further. China is not assisting the US to gain "rewards"  or to avoid punishment or sanction. It is helping the US out of the deep yet simple aspiration of the Chinese people to make the world a better place and protect every individual's well-being. China's contributions deserve an objective and fair evaluation. Yet, even after becoming the first country to comprehensively regulate fentanyl-related substances, China still faces numerous accusations, smear campaigns, sanctions, and now tariffs. Drug control is a global endeavor that demands coordinated international efforts. Those genuinely concerned about the fentanyl crisis and the well-being of its victims should urge the US government to reverse this misguided decision. The sooner the US resumes dialogue and consultation, the faster China-US bilateral cooperation on counter-narcotics can be restored, and the fewer lives will be harmed by this dangerous substance.

Israel resumed war on Gaza by killing over 200 Palestinians in morning airstrikes and threatened a ground invasion breaking the ceasefire agreement.

MENA

Israel launched a series of "extensive strikes" across Gaza early Tuesday morning, killing hundreds of Palestinians and collapsing the recent ceasefire agreement.

The strikes targeted various locations, including Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah, marking the most significant military operation in Gaza since the ceasefire began on January 19. 

Medics and local witnesses reported more than 200 Palestinians killed, with more than 150 others wounded from airstrikes and artillery shelling. Among the casualties were women and children, including those sheltering in the Al-Tabi'in School in the Al-Daraj neighborhood. The attack also targeted Palestinian refugees in tents in the Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.

In a statement, the Israeli military said it was prepared to continue attacks against Hamas commanders and infrastructure in Gaza for as long as needed and would expand the campaign beyond airstrikes with a potential ground invasion. 

In response, Hamas warned that Israel's new attacks in Gaza breach the ceasefire and put the fate of the hostages in jeopardy. The Palestinian group, which has for weeks accused Israel of not being interested in a truce, said Israel '"decided to overturn the ceasefire agreement" in a released statement on Tuesday. 

Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also condemned Israel accusing it of continuing its "war of extermination" on Gaza after "deliberately sabotaging all efforts to reach a ceasefire". In a statement, the group said the renewed attack by Netanyahu and his "bloodthirsty Nazi government" will not give Israel "superiority over the resistance, neither on the ground nor in negotiations".

"We affirm that what Netanyahu and his barbaric army failed to achieve in 15 months of crimes and bloodshed, they will not succeed in achieving again, thanks to the steadfastness of our oppressed people and the courage of our mujahideen in the fields of… resistance," the PIJ said.

Israel consulted with President Trump before launching their latest attack on Gaza, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. "As President Trump has made clear, Hamas, the Houthis, Iran – all those who seek to terrorise not just Israel but the US – will see a price to pay, and all hell will break loose," she told Fox News.

"The Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran and Iranian-backed terror proxies should take President Trump very seriously when he says he’s not afraid to stand for law-abiding people and stand up for the US and our friend and ally Israel."

This wave of violence comes after an already difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza, which has been exacerbated by Israel's blockade and its refusal to lift restrictions on vital aid supplies. 

Gaza’s Government Media Office reported more than 61,700, with thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble and presumed dead.

The strike follows the breakdown of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which had hoped to extend the ceasefire. The initial ceasefire, brokered by international mediators, had been in place since January 19, but talks for its extension have since faltered.

The United States had pushed for a continuation of the truce to include an additional phase aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel. However, disagreements between Israel and Hamas over the specifics of the deal, including the demand for the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, have led to a deadlock.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Defence Minister Israel Katz, blamed Hamas for the collapse of the ceasefire, accusing the militant group of refusing to release Israeli hostages and rejecting US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposals.

According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, Israel’s renewed military action aims to achieve "the war objectives as determined by the political leadership," which include securing the release of all hostages—both living and deceased.

Human rights groups have condemned Israel’s failure to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire. Countries like the UK, France, and Germany have all voiced their concern over the blockade and the ongoing military escalation.

This morning, Tuesday, Israeli occupation aircraft launched a series of raids on various areas of the Gaza Strip, leaving dozens dead and wounded.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu and Katz instructed the military to take forceful action against Hamas in Gaza after it rejected the prisoner exchange proposals, the statement said.

Gaza's Civil Defense reported that at least 15 people were killed and dozens injured in airstrikes launched by Israeli warplanes on various areas of the Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that more than 40 citizens were killed and 150 others were injured as a result of scattered Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the attacks launched by the Yemeni Houthi group in the Red Sea are "of Iranian origin."

"Don't be fooled," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account. "All attacks by the Houthis, a vicious gang and mafia hated by the Yemeni people, based in Yemen, are coming from Iran."

Trump added that if the Houthis launched any future attacks or retaliation, they would be "responded with great force," noting that "there is no guarantee where this response will stop."

Trump stated that the claim that Iran has lost control of the region "does not reflect reality," emphasizing that "the Houthis carry out all their actions based on orders from Iran, and Tehran provides them with money, weapons, intelligence, and advanced military equipment."

Trump added that the United States would consider any attack by the Houthis "an attack by Iran," and that Iran "will be responsible for these attacks in the Red Sea," and its government "will have to bear the terrible consequences."

Trump's remarks came after the Houthis announced that US forces had carried out airstrikes on the Hodeidah and Al Jawf regions of Yemen.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered his country's military to launch a "major attack" against the Houthis in Yemen.

These are the first strikes on Yemen since the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza came into effect on January 19, 2025.

In "solidarity with Gaza" in the face of Israeli genocide, the Houthi group began targeting Israeli-owned or -linked cargo ships in the Red Sea or anywhere within reach with missiles and drones in November 2023.

The Houthis also launched occasional missile and drone attacks on Israel, some of which targeted the central city of Tel Aviv, before halting them with the entry into force of the ceasefire in Gaza.

In response to these attacks, Washington and London began launching airstrikes and missile attacks on "Houthi sites" in Yemen in early 2024. The group responded by announcing that it now considers all American and British ships to be military targets, expanding its attacks to include vessels passing through the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and anywhere within reach of its weapons.

On March 1, 2025, the first phase of the Gaza agreement ended, and days later, Israel re-closed the crossings to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian Strip.

After Tel Aviv violated the agreement and closed the crossings again to prevent humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip, at the beginning of March, coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, the Houthi group announced the resumption of its operations against Israeli ships to pressure them to break the Gaza blockade.

Israeli occupation forces continued their assault on the city of Tulkarm and its two camps on Monday evening, amid a widespread military escalation that included the deployment of new reinforcements to several key neighborhoods, as well as forced displacement and property damage.

According to local sources, the occupation forces sent military reinforcements from infantry squads to the city from the Nitzanei Oz military checkpoint west of Tulkarm. They patrolled the main streets and were stationed at Shuweika roundabout in the northern neighborhood, Artah Suburb Street to the south, the eastern neighborhood, and on Al-Iskan Street around Nour Shams Camp.

She added that the occupation forces searched citizens' vehicles and obstructed their movement, while throwing sound bombs at the residents.

In Nour Shams camp, Israeli bulldozers re-entered the area amid heavy gunfire in the Jabal al-Nasr neighborhood, while additional military vehicles stormed the al-Manshiya neighborhood. A fuel tanker was also spotted arriving in the camp.

For the third consecutive day, the occupation forces continued to displace the remaining families in the Qaqun neighborhood of Tulkarm refugee camp, while the families of Yousef Abu Arab and Ziad Shraim, who live next to the Khalid bin al-Walid Mosque in the eastern suburb of Dhnaba, were forced to evacuate their homes.

Other local sources reported that 200 families were forcibly displaced from their homes in a number of neighborhoods in Tulkarm camp, particularly those located on its outskirts, over the past two days, specifically Qaqun, Abu al-Foul, and Marbat Hanoun, due to the escalation of the occupation's aggression and its threats to residents to leave their homes and not return to them.

Israeli occupation forces also stormed the Muath bin Jabal Mosque in Tulkarm refugee camp, causing extensive damage, as part of a series of attacks targeting places of worship and public property in the city.

Dozens of citizens suffered suffocation on Monday evening when Israeli occupation forces stormed Al-Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron.

According to local sources, occupation forces stormed the camp and fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas at homes, causing dozens of residents to suffer from suffocation and were treated on the spot.

Salama Maarouf, head of the government media office in Gaza, warned on Monday of the risk of 220 buildings "at risk of collapse" in Gaza due to damage sustained during the recent Israeli war of extermination on the Strip.

Marouf said in a statement that "technical crews from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and Civil Defense have inspected the damaged buildings, and 220 buildings have been identified as being at risk of collapse so far."

He explained that "these buildings pose a direct threat to the lives of thousands of citizens living inside or around them, especially given the ongoing Israeli blockade and the ban on the entry of heavy equipment needed to remove rubble or reinforce damaged buildings."

Marouf pointed out that "the residents of these buildings were evacuated and those surrounding them were warned, but the continued siege and the ban on the entry of heavy equipment are hampering efforts to deal with this crisis."

Over the course of months of Israel's genocidal war, the North Gaza Governorate was subjected to a policy of "urban annihilation," according to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, which saw widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.

On Monday morning, 21 people survived after evacuating the residential building they were living in half an hour before it collapsed in the town of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip. The building sustained extensive damage from Israeli bombing during the war of extermination.

Two Lebanese citizens were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in the town of Yahmar al-Shaqif, Nabatieh District, southern Lebanon, on Monday. Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation army launched raids on the outskirts of the town of Labaya in the Western Bekaa Valley, in addition to raiding the town of Yahmar in southern Lebanon, in the evening.

The Israeli occupation army carried out an air sweep and a ground incursion into southern Lebanon, in new violations of the ceasefire agreement in effect since November 27, 2024.

On Sunday evening, two people were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, bringing the death toll to five in 24 hours, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health and the National News Agency.

Hamas stressed on Monday that Israel's continued closure of Gaza's crossings, its imposition of a blockade, starvation, and deprivation of water to more than two million citizens, is stark evidence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on evading the ceasefire agreement.

In a statement on Telegram, it indicated that these measures reflect the Netanyahu government's disregard for the lives of its prisoners held in Gaza and its disregard for international and humanitarian laws.

Hamas said that Israel was escalating its crimes, flagrantly violating the ceasefire agreement, noting that "the number of martyrs has risen to nearly 160 since the agreement."

She stressed that Israel's continued closure of Gaza's crossings, its imposition of a blockade, and the starvation and deprivation of water and food on more than two million citizens, is stark evidence of Netanyahu's insistence on evading the obligations of the ceasefire agreement.

In an urgent appeal, Hamas called on the "guarantors" of the ceasefire agreement to intervene immediately to stop these crimes.

She also urged the international community to assume its responsibilities and take immediate steps to break the siege on Gaza and end the "crimes" of starvation.

On March 2, Israel closed the Gaza Strip's crossings to relief aid, food, medical supplies, and goods, reneging on the agreement, amid human rights warnings that Palestinians in the Strip were entering a real famine.

Earlier on Monday, the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Gaza warned of a "widespread famine" hitting the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel's continued closure of the crossings to aid and goods.

Hazem Haniyeh, an official with the authority, said that the continued closure of the crossings has led to "a critical decline in food supplies in Gaza, threatening widespread famine, especially given the failure to deliver aid."

The World Food Programme said last Friday that it had been unable to transport food supplies to Gaza since March 2.

Haniyeh stated that "more than 25,000 patients and wounded, including 10,000 cancer patients, are facing death and deteriorating health conditions due to the interruption of access to treatment, according to Ministry of Health reports."

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

Clashes erupted with Israeli occupation forces on Monday evening in the village of Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah.

According to local sources, an Israeli army force stormed the village, firing live ammunition and tear gas canisters, sparking clashes. No injuries were reported.

A group of settlers attacked citizens on Monday evening as they passed through the Wadi al-Matwi area, which connects the city of Salfit to the town of Bruqin to the west.

Local sources said that a group of settlers attacked citizens' vehicles, damaged them, and assaulted citizen Ahmed Jamil Naji, spraying him with pepper spray.

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stressed on Monday the "necessity of the international community to firmly confront the starvation policy pursued by the Israeli occupation in its brutal war against the Palestinian people."

The Qatari minister received Sigrid Kaag, Under-Secretary-General and UN Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in Gaza, who is currently visiting the country, according to a statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry, without specifying the duration of her visit.

During the meeting, the close relations between the State of Qatar and the United Nations and ways to support and strengthen them were reviewed.

The two sides discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip, particularly the challenges facing humanitarian action, and ways for the two sides to cooperate to deliver humanitarian aid sustainably and without obstacles to all areas of the Strip.

In turn, Al Thani stressed during the meeting "the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and to firmly confront the starvation policy pursued by the Israeli occupation in its brutal war against the Palestinian people."

With American support, Israel perpetrated a genocide in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

During the months of the genocide, Palestinians suffered from famine due to the severe restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry of aid, forcing them to consume alternatives such as animal feed and grass and to reduce the number and quantity of daily meals.

Following the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza in early March, Israel resumed blocking aid from entering the Strip, which Arab countries, including Egypt, recently deemed "a renewed policy of starvation by Israel."

During his meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Monday, King Abdullah II stressed that granting Palestinians their full legitimate rights under the two-state solution is the only way to achieve stability in the region.

The King stressed the need to intensify international efforts to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire in the region, maintain the ceasefire in Gaza, and support reconstruction efforts without displacing its population.

King Abdullah also stressed the need to resume the entry of relief aid to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of civilians, noting the importance of Italy's role in providing humanitarian assistance to the people of the Gaza Strip and expressing his appreciation for its contribution to the humanitarian airlift.

Speaking about the West Bank and Jerusalem, the King warned of the danger of the Israeli military operation in the West Bank and unilateral measures, which threaten to escalate the conflict.

The meeting addressed enhancing cooperation between Jordan and Italy in various fields to serve the interests of both countries.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of supporting Syria in preserving its unity, sovereignty, and stability.

Developments in Lebanon and the need to support its sovereignty, security and stability were discussed.

For her part, the Italian Prime Minister affirmed her country's support for Jordan's pivotal role in the Middle East and the Kingdom's efforts to achieve peace and promote dialogue.

The meeting was attended by the Director of His Majesty's Office, Eng. Alaa Batayneh.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kallas affirmed on Monday that the EU welcomes the Arab initiative to rebuild the Gaza Strip.

Ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Kallas indicated that the European Union will contribute to supporting efforts to assist the people of the Gaza Strip.

Two civilians were killed and others injured in an Israeli drone strike on Monday evening east of Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, the death toll in Al-Bureij camp today has risen to five with the death of the two citizens.

Earlier, four civilians, including a woman, were injured by shrapnel from a bomb fired by an Israeli drone and by Israeli tank fire in the al-Salam neighborhood east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Earlier this afternoon, a number of young men were injured and killed when an Israeli drone bombed a gathering of civilians at the Wadi Gaza Bridge in the central Gaza Strip.

The death toll in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023, has risen to 48,572, the majority of whom are children and women. An additional 112,032 have been wounded, while a number of victims remain under the rubble and on the streets, unable to be reached by ambulances and rescue crews.