MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. Over 350 people were killed in Israel’s airstrikes on the Gaza Strip last night, the Al Arabiya TV channel reported, citing the enclave’s Health Ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that the goal of the strikes was to liberate the hostages held in Gaza. The Palestinian movement Hamas described Israel’s move to resume military operations in the enclave as "a death sentence" for the captives.
TASS has gathered the key information about the situation in the region.
Rise in tensions
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on March 18 that it had carried out large-scale strikes on the "terror targets" in Gaza belonging to Hamas.
The Israeli Air Force reportedly carried out a series of strikes on the largest cities in the south of the enclave, including Khan Yunis and Rafah, as well as on the northern city of Jabalia and the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Dozens of airstrikes are said to have been conducted on Gaza in under ten minutes.
Fatalities and casualties
A total of 356 people were killed in Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza last night, the enclave’s Health Ministry said, according to Al Arabiya. At least 1,000 Palestinians suffered injuries.
The ambulance service in the Gaza Strip is unable to provide assistance to those injured in the Israeli attacks, the Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen TV channel reported. According to the broadcaster, ambulance teams in Gaza cannot respond to reports of casualties because the Israeli army had destroyed most of their equipment.
Hamas statement
Hamas said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was fully to blame for "the consequences of the act of blatant aggression in the Gaza Strip."
The movement called on the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation "to take the historic responsibility by supporting the Palestinian people’s resilience and courageous resistance and breaking the brutal blockade of the Gaza Strip."
Hamas added that Israel’s move to resume military operations in Gaza meant "a death sentence" for the hostages held in the enclave.
Israel’s statement
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the radical Palestinian movement Hamas would be hit with a force it had "never seen before" unless it released the remaining 59 hostages.
The Israeli prime minister’s office stated that the Israeli military had resumed strikes on Hamas facilities in Gaza in order to free the hostages and that the army would boost its operations in the enclave.
Global reaction
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Israel had informed the Trump administration of its plans to attack the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad blamed Israel for undermining the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The Yemen-based Houthis condemned Israel’s strikes on Gaza and announced plans to continue military escalation in support of the Palestinian people, according to a statement by the Ansar Allah movement.
Israel-Hamas agreement
In mid-January, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement to release the hostages held in Gaza and declare a ceasefire in the enclave, which was brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US. The three-phase deal took effect on January 19; its first phase ended on March 1. On March 2, Israel suspended humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and closed all border checkpoints.