Israel Escalates Gaza Strikes 35% After Iran Ceasefire, Peace Plan Stalls

Israel escalated its military campaign in the Gaza Strip by 35 percent in April compared to March, redirecting firepower after pausing its joint bombing campaign with the United States against Iran on April 8. Conflict monitor ACLED documented the surge, while Gaza's Health Ministry reported that 120 Palestinians — including eight women and 13 children — were killed in the five weeks following the Iran ceasefire, a 20 percent increase over the prior period. Since the US-backed ceasefire took effect in October 2025, Israeli forces have killed approximately 856 Palestinians and wounded 2,463, with some victims still trapped under rubble.

Israeli defense officials warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government that Hamas is tightening its grip, rebuilding forces, and producing hundreds of explosive devices, mortars, and anti-tank rockets monthly. Israel has targeted Hamas-run police positions, killing at least 14 officers since mid-April. Israeli forces continue to occupy more than half of Gaza's territory, confining over 2 million people to a narrow coastal strip under Hamas de facto control.

Hamas has refused to disarm and actively blocked reconstruction efforts. Armed Hamas members forced contractors to turn back from building "New Rafah," a planned city of 100,000-plus housing units under President Donald Trump's peace plan — the first direct interference with a Board of Peace-coordinated activity. Netanyahu met with Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative for the US-led Gaza Board of Peace, to discuss advancing Trump's 20-point plan without Hamas's agreement. Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya accused Israel of refusing to honor the Sharm el-Sheikh ceasefire and called on Trump and the international community to compel Israel to withdraw its forces and begin reconstruction. The Trump administration has offered no criticism of Israeli actions or its territorial control of nearly 60 percent of Palestinian land.