More than 220 people have been killed, according to the Gaza Civil Defense Authority. Most are reported to be children, women, and the elderly, according to the authority controlled by Hamas.
"Israel will from now on act against Hamas with increasing military force", announces Prime Minister Netanyahu's office.
Hamas simultaneously states that Israel has ended the ceasefire in Gaza, which began on January 19, and warns that hostages are now in danger.
"Netanyahu and his extremist government have decided to revoke the ceasefire agreement, which puts the prisoners in Gaza at an unknown fate", announces Hamas.
"The gates of hell"
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz says in a statement that "the gates of hell will open in Gaza" if the hostages are not released.
"We will not stop fighting until all our hostages are home and we have achieved all our war goals", says Katz.
The US was consulted by Israel before the attacks on Hamas were resumed, according to the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to Fox News.
Hamas could have released the hostages to extend the ceasefire but chose instead to refuse and go to war, says Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, to The Times of Israel.
Israel's military announced just before 01:30 that they are conducting "comprehensive attacks" against Hamas in Gaza. The attacks target Hamas' military, leaders, and infrastructure, and the military operation will be expanded beyond just airstrikes, according to an Israeli official to AP.
Stranded negotiations
The fragile ceasefire between Israel and the terrorist-listed Hamas, which began on January 19, thus appears to be over, even if Netanyahu's office does not explicitly declare it so.
"This follows Hamas' repeated refusal to release our hostages and its rejection of all proposals it has received from the US President's envoy, Steve Witkoff, and from the mediators", it says in the statement from the office.
The first phase of the ceasefire expired at the beginning of March. Israel's government has proposed an extension of phase one, while Hamas has wanted negotiations to reach an agreement on phase two. A second phase would mean a more permanent and deeper ceasefire, compared to the first phase's more preliminary measures.
Trump's envoy Witkoff, who has mediated with Egypt and Qatar, has previously said that Hamas will pay a high price if the hostages are not released immediately.
Correction: In an earlier version, the wrong date was given for when the first phase of the ceasefire expired.
