More than 400 Palestinians killed in surprise Israeli airstrikes across Gaza

Israel launched airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. The surprise bombardment shattered a ceasefire in place since January and threatened to fully reignite the 17-month-old war.

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What to know

Death toll: Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 404 people were killed in the strikes and more than 560 were wounded. Rescuers are still searching the rubble. It is among the deadliest days of the war, which has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population.

Israel’s position: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the strikes because of a lack of progress in talks to extend the ceasefire. The White House said it had been consulted and voiced support for Israel’s actions. The Israeli military ordered people to evacuate eastern Gaza, including much of the northern town of Beit Hanoun and other communities further south, and head toward the center of the territory, indicating that Israel could soon launch renewed ground operations.

Hamas’ response: The militant group accused Netanyahu of upending the ceasefire agreement and exposing Israeli hostages “to an unknown fate.” Roughly two dozen Israeli hostages held by Hamas are believed to still be alive.

Freed Israeli hostages voice anger and alarm over resumption of war

In stories on Instagram shared by Israeli media, several Israelis released from Hamas captivity in the first phase of the recent ceasefire made desperate appeals to the government to prioritize the release of the hostages and resume negotiations.

“Returning to fighting? Did you listen to a word of what we, the returnees released in the last deal, have been saying to you? Do you see us?!” wrote former hostage Omer Wenkert. He added that “the sense of being forsaken is the strongest I have ever felt.”

Romi Gonen, who was among the first hostages freed in the last ceasefire, said she “will never forget the moment in captivity when I heard the booms after the (first) deal collapsed and realized I would not be freed anytime soon.” She wrote, “I beg you, the people of Israel, we must continue to fight for them. And the government of Israel – get them out! This is the most urgent thing.”

A Palestinian health official says Tuesday is the deadliest day of the war in Gaza

Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the records department in Gaza’s Health Ministry, said at least 263 of the 404 people confirmed dead so far Tuesday were women or children 18 and under. He described it as the deadliest day in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023.

Saudi Arabia has condemned ‘in the strongest terms’ Israel’s attacks in Gaza

A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry called for an immediate ceasefire and for the protection of civilians.

Before the outbreak of the war in October 2023, Saudi Arabia appeared to be close to forging diplomatic relations with Israel in a potentially historic U.S.-brokered agreement. The war put that process on hold. Saudi Arabia says it will not normalize relations with Israel without a halt to the fighting and a path toward establishing a Palestinian state.

Mediator Qatar condemns Israel’s resumption of war in Gaza

Qatar has strongly condemned Israel’s resumption of its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Arab country has served as a key mediator with Hamas and helped broker the ceasefire that took hold in January.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned “the resumption of the Israeli occupation’s aggression against the Gaza Strip,” saying it threatens regional stability.

Egypt, which also played a key role in brokering the ceasefire, has also condemned the wave of heavy strikes Israel launched early Tuesday.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

The Associated Press’ Natalie Melzer, Samy Magdy, Joseph Krauss contributed to this report