Israel unilaterally ended the ceasefire in Gaza, with bombs raining down on the strip this week, killing more than 400 people within hours. Many children were reportedly among the dead.
By Wednesday, Israeli troops resumed ground operations to retake control of a key corridor that divides northern Gaza from the south.
Palestinians in the enclave were once again plunged into a bleak reality dominated by fear, death and displacement. They had hoped that their brief respite would become permanent, as mediators tried to advance a truce agreement and hostage deal into its next phase.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were only the start and future negotiations with Hamas “will take place only under fire”. The US said it had been consulted of Israel's intention to attack.
The question is, why has the war started again. Will it ever end?
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher hears from Unicef’s Rosalia Bollen about the impact on Palestinians in Gaza. She also speaks to Taghreed El-Khodary, a Palestinian analyst, and Brian Katulis, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, about Hamas’s next moves, Israel's motives for resuming the war and where the US stands.