Israel carried out a wave of air strikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing at least 326 Palestinians, including women and children, officials at hospital said. The airstrikes broke a fragile peace deal that had been in effect since January and scares of further ground operations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the bombardment as it was saying Hamas had refused to alter the terms of the ceasefire. Israel will “from now on operate against Hamas with intensified military might,” his office said. Police and officials described military operation as “open-ended” amid mass evacuation orders for coastal eastern Gaza, suggesting a potential ground invasion.
The White House confirmed it had been advised beforehand about the strikes and backed Israel. Hamas says 2 dozen of their hostages ‘have been sentenced to death’. 
The escalation comes just as the United States marks the start of Ramadan, peaking the humanitarian crisis in Gaza where tens of thousands have already died in the 17 months conflict.
Domestically, Netanyahu faces growing dissent. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum criticized the government describing, “We are shocked, we are outraged, we are frightened at the voluntary demolition of the process to bring back our loved ones.”
Tensions running high, the direction of the ceasefire and the remainder of the hostages hung in abeyance with no swift reaction from Hamas towards the fresh onslaught.
