Escalation in Gaza: Heavy Israeli strikes kill over 250

The skies over Gaza lit up once again as Israeli airstrikes tore through neighborhoods, reducing buildings to rubble and sending plumes of smoke spiraling into the air, Palestinian health authorities said on Tuesday.

Palestinian health authorities reported at least 254 dead, many of them children, their bodies wrapped in bloodied white sheets and piled in overwhelmed hospitals already strained by 15 months of relentless bombardment.

The strikes, far more extensive than recent targeted drone attacks, marked a dramatic escalation in Israel's campaign against Hamas, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to use increasing military strength to secure the release of remaining hostages.

Evacuation orders echoed through Gaza, forcing families who had returned during the ceasefire to flee once more. Meanwhile, Hamas accused Israel of reneging on the truce, leaving 59 hostages in limbo and the region teetering on the edge of a broader conflict.