Israel launches fresh Gaza strikes as it vows to resume fighting ‘in full force’

At least 13 people have reportedly been killed in air strikes across Gaza overnight, after Israel said it was resuming combat operations in the Palestinian territory.

Two civilians were killed and five others injured when an Israeli drone hit a tent near the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reports, citing Red Crescent medics.

Israel’s army said it had targeted what it called a Hamas military site from where the group was preparing to fire into Israel. Vessels controlled by Hamas were also hit, the army said.

It comes after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said fighting would resume “in full force”, adding: “This is just the beginning.”

The bombing is not of the same scale as it was on Tuesday, when the Hamas-run health ministry says more than 400 people were killed – but it shows no let-up in Israel’s fresh assault.

Tuesday’s strikes were the heaviest since a fragile ceasefire and hostage exchange deal came into effect on 19 January, and came after Israel and Hamas failed to agree how to take it beyond an initial phase.

The deal involves three stages, and negotiations on the second stage were meant to have started six weeks ago – but this did not happen.

Under the proposed second phase, Israel would withdraw troops from Gaza – but Israel and the US instead pushed for an extension of the first phase, with more hostages being released in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu cast the resumption of fighting as a return to Israel’s primary aims – to return the hostages and “get rid” of Hamas – but families of hostages have criticised the decision, saying it showed the government had given up on their loved ones.

Israel says Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

Egypt, a mediator in talks, said the fresh strikes were a “blatant” violation of the ceasefire.

Wafa says a woman and child were killed in an air strike north of Khan Younis overnight into Wednesday, while four others were killed in a strike in Gaza City.

Gaza’s health ministry has yet to give a death toll for the latest strikes.

Hamas has confirmed that several of its leaders were killed in Tuesday’s strikes, including its de facto head of government, Essam a-Da’lees.

Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad – whose fighters participated in the 7 October 2023 attack which triggered the current conflict – said the prominent spokesman of its armed wing, known as Abu Hamza, was killed.

However, there were also many civilians, including dozens of children, thought to be among the dead.

Regional mediators are now said to be pushing Hamas to release some of the Israeli hostages it still holds in exchange for a de-escalation.

But Netanyahu has said that going forward, all ceasefire talks will take place “under fire”.

The 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel saw about 1,200 people killed and the capturing of 251 hostages – 25 of whom were released alive during the first phase of the ceasefire.

Israel responded with a massive military offensive, which has killed more than 48,500 Palestinians, the Hamas-run health ministry says, as well as causing large-scale destruction to homes and infrastructure.