The number of casualties from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza last night has exceeded 400, with at least 660 others injured, according to the latest update from Gaza’s Health Ministry on Tuesday (March 18). The ministry confirmed that 413 people lost their lives in the attacks.
Many civilians remain trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, and their names have yet to be added to the lists of casualties.
The sudden bombardment began around 2 AM on Monday night, lasting for several hours and claiming hundreds of lives in an instant. Due to the high number of injuries, Gaza’s Health Ministry has urged residents to donate blood. Additionally, hospitals are facing shortages of painkillers and bandages.
For the past 17 days, Israel has blocked all aid and humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza. Amid this siege, the Israeli forces launched another round of deadly attacks, leaving civilians in desperate conditions.
Israel’s Justification and Hamas’ Response
Israel has claimed that Hamas was preparing for an attack and had refused to release hostages, prompting Monday’s strikes. However, Hamas had previously stated that if Israel proceeded to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, they would release all hostages at once. Despite this, Israel did not agree to the proposal.
According to Al Jazeera, Israel had planned renewed attacks on Gaza weeks in advance, contradicting claims that the strikes were solely a response to Hamas’ refusal to release hostages.