Israel has launched a renewed and intense military assault
on Gaza City and the surrounding Gaza Strip, ending a fragile ceasefire and
causing widespread casualties and displacement. The intensified violence has
resulted in hundreds of Palestinian deaths, including women and children, drawn
international condemnation, and sparked retaliatory actions by Hamas.
Israel Ends Ceasefire to Launch Surprise Assault on Gaza
In the early hours of 18 March 2025, Israel launched a
surprise large-scale military attack on Gaza City and other areas in the GazaStrip, effectively ending the fragile ceasefire agreed upon earlier that year.
According to a detailed report on Wikipedia, this surprise air and artillery
offensive, executed under the codename Operation Might and Sword,
killed over 400 Palestinians initially, including 263 women and children,
marking it among the deadliest phases of the ongoing Gaza conflict in 2025. The
Israel Occupation Forces (IOF) conducted the operation in coordination with the
United States, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered the
strikes after ceasefire negotiations stalled. The Israeli military targeted
sites across Gaza including Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City itself, striking
homes, refugee shelters, and infrastructure.
Escalation Following Failed Ceasefire Deal
The ceasefire deal from 17 January 2025 was intended to last
42 days and included phases for Israeli prisoners' release and steps to
permanently end hostilities. Despite formal approval by Israel’s security
cabinet and initial continuation by Hamas, Israel resumed attacks before the
ceasefire period ended, refusing to withdraw from certain Gaza sites and
continuing to impose severe restrictions on Gaza’s access to food, medicine,
and electricity. Human rights groups, including Médecins Sans Frontières and
Amnesty International, have condemned Israel’s blockade actions as war crimes.
Civilian Casualties and Infrastructure Damage
The IDF's renewed offensive severely impacted civilian
areas. The Gaza Health Ministry reported a death toll rising above 591 shortly
after the attack's beginning, with over 1,000 injuries. Many of the targets
were residential buildings, hospitals, schools, and refugee camps. For example,
strikes on the Al-Tabi'in School sheltering refugees and a Gaza City prison in
the Al-Shati refugee camp resulted in dozens of deaths. UNICEF and other
observers highlighted the disproportionate impact on women and children. An
Israeli military official acknowledged the prolonged nature of these strikes,
signaling no immediate end.
Hamas Responds Militarily
Hamas condemned the Israeli strikes as violations of the
ceasefire and responded militarily by firing rockets into Israeli cities,
including Tel Aviv, starting 20 March. The Israeli government cited Hamas’s
refusal to extend the ceasefire through further hostage releases as
justification for resuming attacks. Despite the rockets fired, Israel reported
minimal damage within its territory, due to interceptions and rockets falling
in unpopulated areas. However, the tit-for-tat violence only deepened the crisis.
Ground Operations and Control of Gaza Regions
Alongside airstrikes, the IOF initiated ground operations
aimed at recapturing territory within Gaza, specifically the Netzarim Corridor,
in central Gaza. This action bisected the Gaza Strip, severely limiting the
movement of Palestinians between northern and southern Gaza. The IDF publicly
announced partial recapture of the corridor by 19 March and resumed offenses in
Rafah without civilian warnings. Reports indicate Israeli forces used tanks and
heavy artillery, devastating residential neighbourhoods and destroying
infrastructure.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens Amid Attacks
The ongoing violence has severely exacerbated Gaza's
humanitarian crisis. By March, Israel had sealed border crossings, preventing
food and medical supplies from entering the territory. The closure of the main
desalination plant has caused severe water shortages. Aid workers have been
killed in attacks on humanitarian convoys, including a devastating strike on 23
March that killed at least 15 humanitarian personnel, including members of the
Palestine Red Crescent Society and UN agencies. The International Federation of
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies described the attacks as the deadliest for
its workers in a decade.
International Reactions and Accusations of War Crimes
The violence and blockade have drawn global condemnation.
Human rights and aid organisations have accused Israel of war crimes, particularly
citing the indiscriminate targeting of civilian populations and infrastructure.
International bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, convened
emergency sessions to address the crisis. Experts like Miranda Cleland of
Defence for Children International and Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel
Albares suggested that the Israeli strikes lacked discrimination between
military targets and civilian areas, amplifying the toll on non-combatants.
Continued Displacement and Siege
The assault has displaced over 632,000 Palestinians, forcing
many to flee starving and under siege conditions imposed since early March. The
siege prevents normal humanitarian relief and has been described as a form of
collective punishment. Despite limited aid entering Gaza under controversial
arrangements supported by the US and Israel, the United Nations condemned the
system as violating essential humanitarian principles. There are also increases
in violence in the Occupied West Bank, with forced displacement and destruction
of homes occurring alongside the Gaza conflict, illustrating the broader
regional crisis.
Renewed Violence in August 2025
The climax of this resurgence of violence is seen again
later in August 2025, where Israel intensified its assault on Gaza City.
Reports from CNN-News18 reflect that Hamas launched attacks against Israeli
Defence Forces facilities, killing at least 10 people and injuring others,
escalating tensions sharply. Israeli authorities have pursued plans to control
Gaza indefinitely and possibly forcibly transfer Palestinians southward,
further complicating prospects for peace. The conflict continues to cause mass
displacement and immense humanitarian suffering.
The fighting in Gaza City and the Gaza Strip since March
2025 represents a profound escalation of the long-standing Israel-Palestine
conflict, characterised by brutal military offensives, costly civilian
casualties, humanitarian catastrophe, and retaliatory attacks. Both sides bear
responsibility for continuing violence, yet the scale of civilian deaths and
the siege highlight urgent calls from the international community for a durable
ceasefire, humanitarian access, and renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve
decades of conflict.