Israeli forces launched a large-scale strike in Gaza early Tuesday, officials said, in what appeared to be the first major attack on the territory since its cease-fire with Hamas began roughly two months ago.
The Israeli Defense Forces said on Telegram just before 2:30 a.m. that it and the Israeli Security Agency were “conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip,” adding that more details would be released later.
Since the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took effect in mid-January, the Israeli military has conducted a string of smaller strikes on Gaza, which Hamas claims have killed more than 150 people, at least some of them civilians. It has accused Israel of repeatedly violating the truce agreement by continuing military operations.
Israel and Hamas are supposed to be negotiating the next steps in the cease-fire agreement, which would involve a permanent end to the war that began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But mediators including the United States, Qatar and Egypt have made little headway, given the entrenched disagreements between the two sides.
This is a developing story.
Content Source: www.nytimes.com