The relative calm during the truce between Israel and Hamas came to an abrupt end on Tuesday, with Israel carrying out multiple attacks on targets across the Gaza Strip.
Reports from a Palestinian hospital indicate more than 400 casualties, including women and children.
Israel says the operation has no clear time frame and will expand, raising fears of a resumption of the 17-month war.
You Need to Know About Why Israel Has Launched Dozens of Attacks Across Gaza />
Here's what you need to know about how the attacks started and what the consequences might be.
– What happened to the world?
The ceasefire agreement reached in mid-January was a three-stage plan, the first stage of which was completed two weeks ago.
Israel refused to participate in the second phase discussions, which would have led to long-term peace, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the return of all hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war.
Under the agreement, reached after more than a year of talks brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, the ceasefire was to continue while discussions on the second phase were underway.
In the first phase, Hamas returned 25 live hostages and the remains of eight more in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli troops also withdrew to buffer zones inside Gaza, and hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians returned to northern Gaza.
The agreement did not provide for further release of hostages until the second phase began.
Every day, hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid were delivered.
But two weeks ago, Israel cut off supplies of food, medicine, fuel, electricity and other goods to some two million people in the region to pressure Hamas to agree to the new offer.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
