Netanyahu Declares Gaza Strikes That Killed Hundreds as ‘Only the Beginning’.
On March 18, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a chilling message to the world: the devastating airstrikes across Gaza, which killed over 400 people according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, were merely the opening salvo in a renewed military campaign against Hamas. In a televised address, Netanyahu vowed to escalate Israel’s offensive, stating that future ceasefire talks would proceed “under fire” and that the strikes marked “only the beginning” of efforts to dismantle Hamas, secure the release of hostages, and neutralize Gaza as a threat. This escalation shatters a fragile ceasefire in place since January, reigniting a conflict that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives since October 2023. As the death toll mounts, this latest chapter raises urgent questions about the human cost, international response, and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The airstrikes launched overnight on March 17-18, targeted multiple locations across Gaza, including densely populated areas like Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Rafah. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that over half of the casualties were women and children, with entire families wiped out in some instances—such as a single strike in Gaza City that killed 91 people from one extended family. Israel’s military claims the strikes hit Hamas command centers, weapons caches, and operatives planning attacks, justifying the operation as a response to Hamas’s refusal to extend the ceasefire or release additional hostages. However, the scale of destruction has sparked outrage, with images of leveled neighborhoods and overwhelmed hospitals dominating global headlines and amplifying calls for accountability.
Netanyahu’s uncompromising stance reflects both strategic and political calculations. He framed the operation as a necessary step to achieve Israel’s war goals, first outlined after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw over 250 taken hostage. With roughly 100 hostages still unaccounted for, pressure from their families and Israel’s far-right coalition partners has pushed Netanyahu to reject any deal short of Hamas’s total surrender—a demand the group has dismissed as unrealistic. Critics within Israel accuse him of prolonging the war to bolster his domestic standing amid corruption trials and public discontent, while his supporters argue that only unrelenting force can deter future attacks. This delicate balancing act has left little room for diplomacy, plunging the region back into chaos.
The international community has reacted with a mix of condemnation and cautious diplomacy. The United Nations human rights chief decried the strikes as “horrific,” urging an immediate halt to protect civilians, while Egypt and Qatar—key mediators in prior ceasefire talks—warned of a spiraling humanitarian crisis. The White House, after being briefed by Israel before the strikes, attributed the ceasefire’s collapse to Hamas but stopped short of endorsing the scale of the response. European leaders expressed alarm at the civilian toll, yet no unified call for sanctions or intervention has emerged, reflecting the geopolitical tightrope surrounding Israel’s actions. Meanwhile, protests erupted globally, from London to New York, as activists demanded an end to the violence and accused Israel of disproportionate retaliation.
The human toll in Gaza is staggering, with the Health Ministry reporting over 44,000 deaths since the war began in 2023, a figure that now climbs daily with this renewed offensive. Hospitals, already crippled by shortages of fuel and medicine, are overrun with casualties, while the UN estimates that 90% of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents have been displaced at least once. Aid groups warn of famine and disease outbreaks as infrastructure crumbles under relentless bombardment. For Palestinians, Netanyahu’s words—“only the beginning”—signal a grim future, with no clear path to peace as Hamas vows to fight on despite its losses. The cycle of retaliation continues to deepen a humanitarian catastrophe that defies easy resolution.
This escalation also risks broader regional instability. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia in Lebanon, has traded fire with Israel along the northern border since the strikes began, raising fears of a two-front war. Iran condemned the attacks and pledged support for Palestinian factions, while Arab states like Jordan and Saudi Arabia face domestic pressure to respond despite their diplomatic ties with Israel. The Biden administration, navigating its final months, has struggled to rein in the conflict, with analysts warning that a prolonged campaign could draw in more players and destabilize the Middle East further. Netanyahu’s gamble thus extends beyond Gaza, testing the limits of Israel’s alliances and adversaries alike.
As the dust settles from these initial strikes, the world watches a conflict poised on the edge of escalation or exhaustion. Netanyahu’s declaration suggests a long, brutal road ahead, with no immediate offramp for either side. For Israelis, the promise of security remains elusive as rockets from Gaza persist; for Palestinians, survival itself is at stake. The international community’s inability to broker a lasting peace leaves the burden on military might and political will, a recipe that has fueled decades of bloodshed. Whether this is truly “only the beginning” or a tipping point toward de-escalation, the stakes—for lives, for justice, and for the region—have rarely been higher.
