Netanyahu Declares Resumption of Military Operations as Ceasefire with Hamas Crumbles
On Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a pivotal speech that reverberated across the nation, coming just hours after the Israeli military launched airstrikes on multiple locations in the Gaza Strip, particularly around the cities of Gaza, Rafah, and Khan Yunis. This sudden escalation effectively brought an end to the ceasefire with Hamas that had been maintained for nearly two months.
In his address, Netanyahu announced that Israel was resuming full-scale military operations, asserting that all possible efforts had been exhausted in attempts to secure the return of hostages. He referenced weeks of ceasefire extensions and efforts involving delegation negotiations in Doha and Cairo, accusing Hamas of rejecting every proposal, including the so-called Witkoff plan.
Netanyahu emphasized that the latest bombings were merely the beginning and warned that Israel would escalate its military campaign against Hamas in an effort to secure the release of all remaining hostages held in the Gaza Strip. He insisted that military pressure was an essential strategy to achieve this goal, indicating that diplomatic negotiations would continue even amid ongoing hostilities.
In his remarks, he noted a significant development: missiles were launched towards Israel from Yemen by the Houthi rebels in recent hours. In light of this, Netanyahu expressed appreciation to the United States for their recent military strikes against Houthi targets, framing it as a broader context of regional conflict.
Speaking directly to the Israeli public, Netanyahu claimed that the nation had achieved remarkable results thus far and asserted, "Together we are changing the face of the Middle East." He pledged that nothing would deter Israel from pursuing its military objectives, confidently declaring, "We will win."
The strikes in Gaza resulted in a devastating toll, with the health ministry of the Strip reporting that over 400 Palestinians were killed as a result of last night's attacks. This marked the deadliest day for Palestinians since the onset of the conflict on October 7, 2023. The ceasefire that was broken had been in place since January 19, following a protracted 15-month war characterized by sporadic clashes, which notably included a cessation of bombing and major attacks prior to this recent escalation.
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