Israeli military launches new ground offensive in Gaza, kills 20

Amid the airstrikes, the Israeli military on Wednesday said that its forces have resumed ground operations in the central and southern Gaza Strip, reported Reuters.

According to local health workers, atleast 20 Palestinians have been killed on the second day of airstrikes.

Earlier on Tuesday, over 400 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes in one of the deadliest episodes since the beginning of the conflict, shattering a ceasefire that has largely held since January.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military stated that its operations have extended Israel's control over the Netzarim Corridor, which bisects Gaza. They added that the operations were a "focused" manoeuvre aimed at creating a partial buffer zone between the north and the south of the enclave.

The United Nations said an Israeli airstrike had killed a foreign staffer and wounded five workers at the site of a U.N. headquarters in central Gaza City on Wednesday.

Denying this, Israel said their airstrikes had hit a Hamas site, where it had detected preparations for firing into Israeli territory.

Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the UN office for Project Services, said, as quoted by Reuters, "Israel knew that this was a U.N. premises, that people were living, staying and working there, it is a compound. It is a very well-known place."

Israel, which has vowed to eradicate Hamas, said its latest onslaught was "just the beginning".

On Wednesday, India's Ministry of External Affairs expressed India's concern at the situation in Gaza amid the airstrikes.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday expressed India's concern at the situation in Gaza amid the airstrikes. 

The MEA, in its statement, also called for the release of all hostages by Hamas and the supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to be sustained.

India's comments came as Israel resumed air strikes in Gaza on Tuesday triggering uncertainty over the fragile ceasefire that it sealed with Hamas in January.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, over 400 people were killed in the Israeli bombing.

"We are concerned at the situation in Gaza. It is important that all hostages are released," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

"We also call for the supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to be sustained," it said in a statement.

The airstrikes by Israel action came after both Israel and Hamas failed to agree on how to take forward the ceasefire deal from the initial phase. The deal comprised three stages.

The negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire pact were to start around six weeks back. However, the two sides could not hold the talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country will not "relent" until it achieves all "vital goals".

"In the past two weeks, Israel did not initiate any military action in the hope that Hamas would change course. Well, that didn't happen," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

"While Israel accepted the offer of President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, Hamas flatly refused to do so," he said.

Meanwhile, India has been pitching for the "two-State solution to the Palestinian issue with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.

The MEA, in its statement, also called for the release of all hostages by Hamas and the supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to be sustained.

"We are concerned at the situation in Gaza. It is important that all hostages are released," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

"We also call for the supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to be sustained," it said in a statement.