Israel carried out airstrikes in Gaza, ending the nearly two-month-long ceasefire that saw the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
A senior Hamas official is warning that Israel’s decision to resume the war against the terror group after ceasefire talks stalled is a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages, according to The Associated Press.
That could include the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, who was born in Tel Aviv and raised in New Jersey. A group of hostage family members expressed outrage at Israel’s decision.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Israel “chose to give up on the hostages” by resuming the war. The organization called for protests on Tuesday following the airstrikes, saying that “military pressure could further endanger their lives and complicate efforts to bring them home safely.”
There are still 59 hostages in Gaza, but Israel believes only 24 of those who remain are alive. The ceasefire was meant to be carried out in two phases. However, talks on phase two, which would have meant an end to the war and the release of the remaining hostages, have stalled.
