Israel resumes airstrikes in Gaza

Israel has resumed airstrikes in Gaza following the collapse of talks with Hamas over the release of the remaining hostages and preservation of the ceasefire.

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he had instructed the military to take "strong action" against Hamas in Gaza in response to the group's refusal to release hostages and rejection of ceasefire proposals, Reuters reports.

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," the Israeli prime minister's office said in a statement.

Hamas, meanwhile, accused Israel of overturning the hard-fought ceasefire deal, leaving the fate of 59 hostages still held in Gaza uncertain.

Strikes were reported in multiple locations. Palestinian health ministry officials said many of the dead were children.

The Israeli military, which said it hit dozens of targets, said the attacks would continue for as long as necessary and would extend beyond air strikes, raising the prospect that Israeli ground troops could resume fighting.

A spokesperson for the Gaza health ministry said the death toll was at least 200.