Israeli bombs pummeled Gaza on Monday night as the country’s leaders abruptly ended the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
The blasts killed 400 civilians, including 170 children, in the deadliest day of the war since December 2023. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country will be using “increased military strength” in Gaza over the coming weeks.
Netanyahu, who has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court, claimed Hamas leaders in Gaza are refusing to release hostages.
Hamas refuted Netanyahu’s claims, saying they want the ceasefire to continue and remain in touch with mediators.
Doctors in Gaza described a gruesome and horrific scene as scores of dead and wounded flooded hospitals.
“Babies, children all over the floor, bleeding from their heads, bleeding from their abdomens,” Dr. Razan Al-Nahhas told CNN.
From the hospital, she says she can see “all the bodies of the people that have been killed lined up… just wrapped in blankets.”
Trump gives Netanyahu “green light” to launch unprovoked attack on Gazans
The renewed attacks severely jeopardize the peace agreement established in the final days of the Biden administration.
Trump, who repeatedly claimed victory for the peace agreement, was informed of Netanyahu’s intention to bomb civilians on Monday. The president reportedly gave Netanyahu the “green light” to launch the attack.
Unlike the United States, other nations were quick to condemn Israel’s actions.
China urged Israel to “prevent a large-scale humanitarian disaster”, while Turkey called Israel’s attack “a new phase of genocide”.
Australia also called on Israel to “respect the ceasefire” to ensure peace and security in the region. Meanwhile, Egypt, which helped broker the original deal, called Israel’s actions “a flagrant violation” of the ceasefire.
Officials at the United Nations also condemned Israel’s actions. UN Secretary General António Guterres said he was “shocked” by the escalation in violence. Muhannad Hadi, the organization’s humanitarian coordinator in the region, called the attacks “unconscionable”.
Support for Israel among Americans falls as the attacks on Palestinians continue
In the United States, support for Israel has reached new record lows, according to a March survey from Gallup.
When asked whether they sympathized with Israeli’s or Palestinians more, just 46% of Americans said their sympathy lies with Israel. That number is down from a high of 64% in 2018. Meanwhile, sympathy for Palestinians has jumped to 33%, up from 27% just last year.
Approval for Trump’s handling of the war hovers at just 40%. Meanwhile, a majority of Americans (55%) support independence for Palestine. That number includes 76% of Democrats, 53% of Independents, and 41% of Republicans, up from just 26% last year.
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