By Ahmed J Versi

London (The Muslim News):

An Israeli airstrike on Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip Wednesday evening killed at least 16 Palestinians and injured many others, according to WAFA correspondent. Earlier on Tuesday Israel unilaterally ended the Gaza ceasefire agreement and resumed its indiscriminate bombings on the Strip killing 436 Palestinians – highest number in one day since Israeli bombings began since October 2024 – including at least 183 children, 94 women, 34 elderly people, and 125 men, injuring 678 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Western leaders refused to condemn the carnage. According to Israeli President Trump supported the bombings.

UK refused to condemn Israel for the killing of over 400 Palestinians including women and children. When PM Keir Starmer’s Spokesperson was asked by The Muslim News whether PM would condemn Israeli killings, he refused to answer instead he said, “We are deeply concerned about this resumption of military action. The UK does not support a return to fighting. It’s in nobody’s interests.”

Israeli fighter jets Tuesday conducted an airstrike that targeted the mourners who gathered to offer condolences for the killing of the Mubarak family at the Salatin area in Beit Lahia, claiming the lives of at least 16 mourners and injuring others, mostly in serious condition.

He added that all the victims and casualties were transferred to the Indonesian Hospital.

Earlier, an Israeli combat drone conducted an airstrike targeting a tent in Asdaa City, killing four civilians, including two-and-half-year-old Omar Qassem Talab Abu Sharqiyya, reported Anadolou Agency.

Meanwhile, Tuesday, Israeli troops retook the Netzarim Corridor that split Gaza in half, restricting Palestinians’ movement, after withdrawing last month as part of the ceasefire deal.

Taher al-Nono, a Hamas official, said the group has not shut the door on negotiations despite the renewed Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip but insists there is no need for new agreements when a signed one exists.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the new bombardment is “only the beginning” and that all negotiations for the shattered Gaza ceasefire, which lasted just under two months, will now take place “under fire”.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 49,547 Palestinians have been confirmed dead and 112,719 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza. Gaza’s Government Media Office updated its death toll to more than 61,700, saying thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble are presumed dead.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warns that medics are struggling to manage a sharp increase in casualties over the past 36 hours due to the resumption of attacks by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

“Due to the recent suspension of humanitarian aid into Gaza, stocks of medical supplies have dropped significantly and on top of this, hospital staff are struggling to manage the sharp increase of casualties,” the ICRC said in a statement.

In addition Israel has blockaded Gaza for the two weeks leading up to the resumption of its assault, leaving Palestinians with few supplies that they’ll need to endure.

The Israeli army also said Wednesday that it launched a “pinpoint” ground operation to expand a buffer zone between northern Gaza and the south.

“Over the past 24 hours, IDF (army) forces have launched a pinpoint, targeted ground operation in the central and southern Gaza Strip to expand the buffer zone between the northern and southern Gaza Strip,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said via Telegram.

“During the operation, the forces expanded their renewed control over the central Netzarim axis,” which separates northern Gaza from the south, he added.

Meanwhile, Arab countries strongly condemned renewed Israeli airstrikes.

Saudi Foreign Ministry denounced Israel’s “direct bombardment of areas populated by defenseless civilians, without the slightest regard for international humanitarian law.”

The Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli assault as “a blatant challenge to international will supporting peace, including the ceasefire agreement.”

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry told Israel to “adhere to the ceasefire agreement in all its phases, which was brokered through Qatari, Egyptian, and US efforts.”

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement: “(The assault) constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement and represents a dangerous escalation that threatens to have severe consequences for the stability of the region.”

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry condemned the renewed Israeli military offensive on Gaza, describing them as “brutal.”

The Algerian Foreign Ministry condemned Israeli attacks as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, with complete disregard for international conventions and norms.”

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry expressed “strong condemnation and denunciation” of the Israeli attacks on Gaza.”

Omani Foreign Ministry called for “urgent international intervention to put an end to this brutal aggression against humanity, protect civilians, and hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its actions.”

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Arab League secretary-general, condemned “Israel’s brutal airstrikes on Gaza,” saying: “The resumption of this massacre in Gaza is an inhumane act and a defiance of the international will that supported the ceasefire.”

Pakistan “strongly” condemned Israeli airstrikes as “horrific act of aggression, in the holy month of Ramadan, is a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement and marks a dangerous escalation that threatens to destabilize the entire region once again.”

Amnesty International’s Secretary-General Agnes Callamard said “today is a desperately dark day for humanity” as she condemned Israel’s renewed attacks on Gaza.

“Israel’s genocide and its unlawful air strikes have already caused unprecedented humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Today, we are back to square one,” she said in a statement.

“The world cannot stand by and allow Israel to continue inflicting staggering levels of death and suffering on Palestinians in Gaza,” she added.

“We urge all states to uphold their obligations to prevent and punish genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law, by pressing Israel to end its attacks and to facilitate the unconditional and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid.”

[Photo: Loved ones of the mourn as bodies of Palestinians killed in by Israeli bombings are brought to Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, Gaza on March 19, 2025. At least 17 Palestinians were killed in the attack on the funeral house of Mubarak family in Sultan district. Photojournalist: Abdul Hakim Abu Riash/AA]