Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that a wave of air strikes that killed hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza overnight is “only the beginning”. Netanyahu said that Israeli forces would strike Hamas with “increasing force” and future ceasefire negotiations would “only take place under fire”. The air strikes killed at least 404 Palestinians, many of them children, and wounded more than 560 others, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. Israel last week rejected an offer by Hamas to release an American-Israeli dual national and the bodies of four dead captives in exchange for the start of second phase talks and an end to the Israeli blockade imposed earlier this month. Before Israel’s assault, United States President Donald Trump’s US Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, had been pushing for a “bridge” proposal to extend the ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Passover. Netanyahu placed the blame for the lack of progress in the talks squarely on Hamas.

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