Israel Gaza Strike: Hamas government leader killed in Israeli attack in Gaza, 400 people including a hostage killed

Hamas said on Tuesday that its head of government was killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza today. A total of 400 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas, while Israel vowed to use force to free its remaining hostages in the Strip.

Hours after the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the army to take "strong action" against Hamas in Gaza as the terror group refused to release hostages and rejected ceasefire proposals.

"Israel will from now on increase its military strength and take action against Hamas," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

Hamas has accused Israel of overturning a ceasefire deal reached in January, leaving the fate of 59 hostages held in Gaza still uncertain.

There are reports of attacks in several places in Gaza. Officials at Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said several children were among the dead. Hamas claimed in a statement that an Israeli hostage was also among the dead.

In hospitals ravaged by 15 months of bombing, piles of bodies could be seen, with the wounded wrapped in blood-stained white plastic sheets.

In a statement, the Israeli military said it had attacked dozens of targets, and would continue to attack as long as necessary and beyond the air strikes, raising the prospect that Israeli ground troops could resume fighting.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Defense Minister Israel Katz and top security officials in Kirya for a security review.