Tue Mar 18 01:56:19 UTC 2025: ## Israel Launches New Strikes on Gaza, Ending Two-Month Ceasefire
**DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (The Hindu) –** Israel launched a major assault on Hamas targets in Gaza early Tuesday morning, marking the end of a two-month ceasefire. At least 44 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office stated that the renewed offensive is a response to Hamas’ refusal to release remaining hostages and rejection of mediation efforts led by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The statement further warned of “increasing military strength” against Hamas.
A senior Hamas official claimed that Israel unilaterally broke the ceasefire agreement. The two-month truce, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S., had followed a 17-month war and involved the release of dozens of Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
While the ceasefire had seen an initial exchange of hostages, negotiations on the next phase, involving the release of remaining hostages (24 living and 35 bodies) and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, had stalled. Israel demanded the release of half the remaining hostages as a precondition for further negotiations, while Hamas insisted on adhering to the existing ceasefire agreement which calls for simultaneous negotiations on hostage release and withdrawal.
The renewed violence raises serious concerns about the future of the fragile peace process and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
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