Israel informed the United States ahead of its large-scale aerial assault on the Gaza Strip, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed late Monday.
Speaking to Fox News, Leavitt stated, “The Trump administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza tonight.”
The offensive, which claimed at least 404 lives according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, effectively ended the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The truce, brokered by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, had been in place since January.
Leavitt reiterated President Trump’s stance, warning that “Hamas, the Houthis, Iran – all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel, but also the United States of America – will face consequences: all hell will break loose.”
Hamas condemned the strikes as a unilateral decision by Israel to abandon the ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the attacks, citing stalled negotiations on extending the truce.
Last month, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israel had already notified the U.S. of its lack of commitment to the ceasefire agreement. According to the report, Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer told Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, that Israel would not adhere to the proposed three-stage ceasefire plan, even if it had signed it.
The report further outlined Netanyahu’s stance: Israel wanted all remaining hostages released in one phase, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. If Hamas refused, Israel would escalate military action—a strategy Netanyahu reportedly described as a “return to intense warfare,” dismissing the possibility of a second phase of the ceasefire.
Following confirmation that Washington had been consulted about the strikes, Hamas issued a statement on Tuesday, condemning the U.S. for what it called “direct partnership in the war of extermination against our people.” The group accused the U.S. of hypocrisy, arguing that its involvement “exposes the falsehood of its claims about seeking de-escalation.”
Hamas urged the international community to take immediate action to hold both Israel and its allies accountable for what it described as “crimes against humanity.”