Israel Escalates Gaza Strikes Amid Hamas Rearmament

Israel has significantly escalated its military operations in the Gaza Strip over the past five weeks, following a pause in joint strikes with the U.S. against Iran. According to ACLED, a conflict monitor tracking Israeli attacks, Israel carried out 35% more strikes in April than in March.

The increased attacks come amid reports that Hamas is tightening its grip and rebuilding its forces within Gaza. Four Israeli defense officials told Reuters that the military had warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of Hamas' activities. Since the Iran war pause on April 8, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that 120 Palestinians, including eight women and 13 children, have been killed— a 20% increase from the previous five weeks.

Lafi Al-Najjar, a blind Palestinian whose son was killed in an Israeli attack on April 28, described the situation as ongoing despite ceasefire announcements. His family lives in a tented camp among the ruins of Khan Younis, once Gaza's second-largest city. The Israeli military has not commented on the reasons for its stepped-up strikes but is prepared for any scenario, including wider battle plans if fighting resumes.

The October agreement that halted major fighting between Israel and Hamas has seen little progress toward a permanent settlement. Israeli forces still occupy more than half of Gaza's territory, demolishing buildings and displacing residents. Over 2 million people now live in a narrow coastal strip, mainly in damaged structures or makeshift tents under de facto control by Hamas fighters.