Israel ups risk of ‘all out war’ in Gaza as it escalates campaign
With the ceasefire in Gaza having collapsed after Israel resumed its bombing campaign, the Israeli military is expanding its activities there.
With the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip having collapsed after Israel resumed its bombing campaign, the Israeli military is expanding its activities in the shattered enclave. What comes next could set the stage for a sea change by Israel in Gaza and the broader region.
Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 700 people in Gaza in just over a week since the country shattered its two-month-old ceasefire deal with Hamas, according to the Palestinian health ministry in the enclave run by that the militant group.
Meanwhile, statements from the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordering troops to seize parts of Gaza to be "annexed to Israel" unless Hamas meets its demands are fueling fears of those in the region and among experts of a significant escalation in this bloody near-year-and-a-half-long war.
The renewed assault comes after Israel broke its ceasefire with Hamas after the militant group refused a proposal pitched by White House envoy Steve Witkoff to extend the first phase of the truce deal, rather than negotiate and implement the second phase as had been previously agreed.
Speaking with Fox News on Sunday, Witkoff blamed the breakdown of the ceasefire on Hamas' refusal to accept the proposed extension. Meanwhile, Hamas has blamed Israel for refusing to continue negotiations about phase two.
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