The Israeli military on Tuesday conducted “extensive strikes” on Hamas targets in Gaza as truce talks stalled, with medics saying at least 121 people were killed in the attack, the biggest since the ceasefire began on January 19.

Gaza’s civil defence agency said the air strikes, which took place during the month of Ramadan, killed “mostly children, women, and the elderly” and injured about 150 others. The explosions were heard in multiple locations, including northern Gaza, Gaza City and the Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah in central and southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army, in a post on X, said it was currently “conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip” in accordance with the “political echelon”.

In accordance with the political echelon, the IDF and ISA are currently conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/mYZ1WBPVPG

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 18, 2025

Israel also ordered all schools close to the regions neighbouring Gaza shut.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office later said the strikes were ordered after “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.”

“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is, at this time, attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip in order to achieve the objectives of the war as they have been determined by the political echelon including the release of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased,” it posted on X.

Israel would now act with “increased military strength” against Hamas, it said.

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.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 18, 2025

Hamas, however, held Mr Netanyahu “fully responsible for violating and overturning the agreement”. The ceasefire breach “exposes the prisoners in Gaza to an unknown fate”, it said in a statement.

A White House spokesperson said Israel had consulted President Donald Trump’s administration before it carried out the strikes.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks Stall

The truce talks stalled as Israel wanted to extend the first phase of the three-stage ceasefire agreement, while Hamas said it would resume freeing hostages only under the second phase that was due to begin on March 2.

Israel wanted to extend the first phase until mid-April, saying that any transition to the second phase must include “the total demilitarisation” of Gaza and the removal of Hamas, which has controlled the territory since 2007.

Last week, Hamas said it had agreed to release American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and four bodies of the hostages if Israel agreed to begin talks immediately on implementing the second phase of the agreement. Israel, however, accused the group of waging “psychological warfare” on the families of hostages.

The initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire witnessed 33 Israeli hostages, including five bodies, and five Thais freed by Hamas in exchange for around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. The group has still held about 59 hostages.

The war’s only previous truce took place in November 2023 for a week when Hamas released hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The Gaza war began when Hamas led a cross-border raid into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They also captured 251 hostages.

Israel’s retaliatory strikes since then have killed more than 48,000 Palestinians and injured over 1.12 lakh, according to reports.

US President Donald Trump will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday morning (local time) to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. President Trump stated that while “many elements” of a final agreement have been reached, “much remains”. Trump called to end the war “now” as thousands of soldiers are being killed on both sides.

“Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to President Putin concerning the War in Ukraine. Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains. Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The two countries have been at war for over three years. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, escalated the conflict between the two nations.

President Trump has been working to calm tensions and end the conflict. During the presidential campaign, Trump claimed he could resolve the situation even before taking office, stating, “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done – I’ll have that done in 24 hours.”

Last Friday (March 14), President Trump indicated there was a “very good chance” the war between Russia and Ukraine could end following “productive” discussions with Russian President Putin.

“We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, adding that he had “strongly requested” that Putin spare the lives of “completely surrounded” Ukrainian troops.

“I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II,” Trump said.

Following this, Putin said he would spare Ukraine troops in the Russian region of Kursk if they “surrender”.

“We are sympathetic to President Trump’s call,” Putin said in remarks broadcast on Russian television.

“If they lay down their arms and surrender, they will be guaranteed life and dignified treatment,” Putin said.

While Ukraine has endorsed an American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and agreed to immediate negotiations with Russia, the latter is yet to accept the deal.

The Israeli government, in coordination with the US administration, launched a significant airstrike on Hamas positions in Gaza, resulting in at least 69 Palestinian casualties. The operation is in response to stalled ceasefire negotiations, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorizing the strikes.