Hundreds of Palestinians have been so far martyred and many others have been injured as the Israeli occupation renewed its aggression on Gaza early on Tuesday.
Medical sources said that many children were among at least 400 Palestinians martyred by the Israeli attacks which came as a surprise and shock for people in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza’s Government Media Office said most victims were women, children and elderly people, with some “entire families” wiped out.
“These brutal massacres committed by the Israeli occupation army reaffirm that this occupation only understands the language of killing, destruction and genocide,” said the media office.
It called on the international community, including the UN, rights groups and aid organizations, to take immediate action to oppose Israel’s “crimes” and hold Israeli leaders accountable. “The world cannot continue to stand by,” it said.
⚡️BREAKING: At least 356 Palestinians, mostly children, have been killed since the early hours of the morning due to Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza following Netanyahu’s decision to end the ceasefire with the full support of U.S president Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/e5s9DQEQGi
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) March 18, 2025
Palestinian sources reported that there are a lot of people missing and trapped under the rubble., we have received information that Israeli authorities restricted all the medical evacuations of Palestinians that used to happen every day through the Rafah crossing.
Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation military issued forced displacement threats, ordering Gazans to “evacuate immediately” from several areas including: Beit Hanoun, Khirbet Khuza’a, Abasan Al-Kabira and Abasan Al-Jadida.
Closure of Rafah Crossing for Patients
For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued instructions to keep the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt closed to patients leaving the enclave for medical treatment abroad, in order to put pressure on Hamas, according to Israeli media.
Dozens of injured and sick Palestinians left Gaza through the crossing since the ceasefire came into effect in January, but thousands more need treatment abroad, according to the World Health Organization.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued instructions to keep the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt closed to patients leaving the enclave for medical treatment abroad, in order to put pressure on Hamas.
🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/cStFP2tEGR pic.twitter.com/606QzYrBVr
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 18, 2025
Maariv newspaper reported that the Israeli prosecution has agreed to a request to cancel the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testimony in a corruption trial against him, due to “security developments”.
According to Maariv, Netanyahu had asked for his testimony on Tuesday to be cancelled, hours after the Israeli prime minister oversaw renewed attacks on the Gaza Strip.
‘Death Sentence’ for Captives
Commenting on the renewal of the attacks, Izzat Al-Risheq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, said ‘Israel’ is sacrificing the lives of its remaining captives in Palestine.
“Netanyahu’s decision to return to war is a decision to sacrifice the prisoners of the occupation and a death sentence against them,” A-Risheq said in a statement shared by CNN.
“The enemy will not achieve through war and destruction what it has failed to achieve through negotiations,” he added.
Netanyahu ‘Chose to Give Up Life’ of Captives: Families
For their part, families of the Israeli captives in Gaza has blamed Netanyahu’s government for “choosing to give up the lives of the hostages” following its renewed attacks in Gaza.
“We are horrified, furious and scared by the intentional shattering of the process of returning our loved ones from the terrible Hamas captivity,” a statement by the main group representing the captives’ families cited by The Times of Israel read.
“The return to fighting before the return of the last hostage will cost us the 59 hostages who are still in Gaza and who can still be saved and returned.”
Source: Agencies
