Israel Carries Out ‘Extensive Strikes’ in Gaza, Imperiling Cease-Fire Deal

Israeli forces launched a large-scale strike across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, in what appeared to be the first major attack on the territory since Israel’s cease-fire with Hamas began roughly two months ago.

The Israeli military said on Telegram just before 2:30 a.m. local time that it and the Israeli Security Agency were “conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.” The attack was ordered by Israel’s political leadership, it said.

Shortly afterward, Hamas said in a statement that the Israeli government had “resumed their aggression” in the Gaza Strip. It was unclear whether the strikes effectively ended the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas that took effect in mid-January.

The office of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a statement that he and the defense minister, Israel Katz, had instructed the military to act, citing “repeated refusal” by Hamas “to release our hostages” and saying the militants had rejected all proposals from Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East, and other mediators.

“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” the statement said.

Witnesses posted videos and accounts of the strikes overnight on social media. At least 44 Palestinians, among them five children, were killed in the wave of Israeli strikes across Gaza, according to the Gazan Ministry of Health. More than 50 people were wounded, according to the ministry.

Mediators, including the United States, Qatar and Egypt, have been involved in negotiating the next steps in the cease-fire agreement, which would involve a permanent end to the war. But they have made little headway, given the entrenched disagreements between the two sides. Israel began attacking Gaza shortly after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Since the cease-fire took effect, the Israeli military has conducted a string of smaller strikes on Gaza, which Hamas claims have killed more than 150 people, at least some of them civilians. It has accused Israel of repeatedly violating the truce agreement by continuing military operations.

Raja Abdulrahim contributed reporting.