BBC Breakfast viewers were met with a sudden interruption on Tuesday (March 18) as Sally Nugent broke into the programme to deliver some “breaking news” shortly after the show began.
The broadcaster reported that overnight Israeli airstrikes had resulted in the deaths of over 200 Palestinians across Gaza, marking the most severe series of attacks since a ceasefire was agreed upon in January.
“Sally’s got more of this morning’s news, including some big developments in the Middle East overnight,” co-presenter Jon Kay introduced.
“We have some breaking news to bring everybody this morning. Israel is carrying out what it has described as extensive strikes in the Gaza Strip, in the largest wave of attacks since the ceasefire with Hamas began back in January,” Sally then disclosed.
“Health officials in Gaza say more than 200 people have been killed overnight. The Israeli military says it was targeting terror targets belonging to Hamas,” she added, before transitioning to the BBC’s Gaza correspondent Rushdi Abualouf, reports the Express.
“It’s not a very good morning for about 2.3 million people in Gaza, they were up all night with the sound of explosions everywhere. Over 100 strikes, according to the Hamas-run media,” Rushdi detailed.
“The latest figure from the Hamas-run health ministry is that 310 people [have been] killed, including more than 50 kids and 25 or 28 women among those killed.”
Rushdi noted that most civilians were awake when the bombings started just after 2am, as it is Ramadan – a time when Muslims fast from dawn until sunset.
“They were suffering from a lack of food, water and fuel after Israel cut off all supplies for the last two weeks, but they were at least enjoying a relative calm for 57 days since the ceasefire began,” Rushdi added.
“But it all very quickly turned into a real war, as many of the people I spoke to last night and this morning described to me.”
The attacks commenced at 2.30am local time on Tuesday, targeting densely packed urban areas, make-shift schools, residential buildings, and tents sheltering displaced individuals.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement: “This pre-emptive offensive will continue as long as necessary, and will expand beyond air strikes.”
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am