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The cease-fire in Gaza ended late on Monday as the Air Force launched extensive strikes on the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he instructed the military to take "strong action" against Hamas in Gaza in response to the group's refusal to release hostages and rejection of all ceasefire proposals. "Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," the prime minister's office said in a statement.
The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump was consulted ahead of the Strike.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that the decision was made after Hamas refused to release Israeli hostages and rejected any proposal by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
Katz said the decision to return to fighting in Gaza was made after Hamas refused to release hostages and threatened Israeli troops and communities. "If Hamas does not free all of the hostages, the gates of hell will open on Gaza and the murderous Hamas rapists will encounter the IDF in a force they have not yet known. We will not stop the fighting until all the hostages are returned home and the objectives of the war are achieved," Katz said.
Military officials said the surprise attack on the Strip comes after hundreds of new targets were identified during the two months of truce and 20,000 terrorists from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad took up positions in Gaza adding that it was prepared to continue attacks against Hamas commanders and infrastructure in Gaza for as long as needed and would expand the campaign beyond airstrikes.
The IDF said the targets included senior Hamas leaders, tunnels and weapons storage facilities in a surprise attack on dozens of sites in order to maximize damage.
"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," the IDF said in a statement.
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The military said its forces are prepared on all fronts including its air defenses.
Palestinian media reported that at least 100 people have been killed or wounded thus far in the strikes that targeted different areas across the Strip in less than an hour.
A senior Hamas official accused Israel of unilaterally overturning the ceasefire agreement. "We call on the mediators to assign full responsibility on Netanyahu and Israel for violating the cease-fire agreement, Hamas said. the group called on the Arab League to stand by the Palestinian resistance and to break the unjust siege placed on the Gaza Strip. Hamas also called on the UN Security Council to urgently convene and force Israel to stop the war.
Schools will remain shut along the Gaza border on Tuesday the Home Front Command said.