Tel Aviv, 18 March 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Israel launched a series of airstrikes against the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday after efforts to extend the ceasefire failed.

According to the Hamas media office, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed in the attacks, which began in the early hours of the morning.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he and Defense Minister Israel Katz had instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to take "strong action against the Hamas terrorist organization" in the Gaza Strip.

"This follows Hamas's repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators," Netanyahu's office said in a post on X.

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength."

The office said the operational plan was presented by the IDF over the weekend before being approved by the political leadership.

In agreement with the political leadership, the army was conducting extensive attacks on the terrorist organization's positions, the military announced on X.

In a statement, Hamas said Israel had decided to break the ceasefire agreement and was risking the lives of hostages.

Hamas called on mediators Egypt, Qatar and the US to hold Israel accountable.

Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon wrote on X that the UN Security Council would convene on Tuesday in New York to discuss the situation in Gaza.

"It is time for the countries of the world to take seriously our unwavering commitment to bring back all our hostages home and defeat the enemy," he wrote.

"We will show no mercy against our enemies while our hostages languish in Hamas terror tunnels."

Israeli attacks have continued despite a fragile ceasefire agreement reached in January between Israel and Hamas. Negotiations to extend the truce have so far failed.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas and other extremist groups attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.

Since then, Gaza's Hamas-run health authority has reported more than 48,500 deaths. These figures, which do not distinguish between combatants and civilians, cannot be independently verified. Israel estimates it has killed around 20,000 militants.

MIA file photo