Israeli prime minister bows to pressure from far right over majority who prioritise deals to bring back hostages

As the ceasefire in Gaza extended from days into weeks, and newly freed hostages began sharing grim details of their captivity, Benjamin Netanyahu’s political room for manoeuvre seemed to shrink.

He was caught between the far-right parties propping up his government, keen to return to war in Gaza, and the majority of Israelis who prioritised the fate of the remaining hostages over the “total defeat” of Hamas demanded by their prime minister.

In today’s newsletter: Why Benjamin Netanyahu ordered new attacks on dozens of sites in Gaza – and what happens next

Good morning. Just before 2.30am local time, Israel launched airstrikes on dozens of targets across Gaza. War planes hit sites across the territory, from Gaza City in the north to Khan Younis in the south. At least 330 people have been reported dead so far, Gaza’s health ministry said, and Benjamin Netanyahu’s office appeared to suggest that the two-month-old ceasefire is now over: “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” it said.

You can follow the latest here at the Guardian’s live blog. Today’s newsletter explains what’s happened overnight, and why. Here are the headlines.

UK politics | Keir Starmer will unveil drastic cuts to disability benefits on Tuesday, despite deep opposition from Labour MPs and poverty campaigners, and warnings from economists against making kneejerk savings to hit fiscal targets. The changes are expected to affect some of the UK’s most severely disabled people.

UK news | Lucy Letby has called for the public inquiry into her crimes to be halted, arguing there is now “overwhelming and compelling” evidence undermining her baby murder convictions. Lawyers for the former nurse took the extraordinary step of writing to Lady Justice Thirlwall on Monday to say that the inquiry – due to end on Wednesday – should be suspended immediately.

Space | Two Nasa astronauts “stranded” aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since last summer were finally on their way back to Earth on a SpaceX vessel on Tuesday, more than nine months after the failure of Boeing’s pioneering Starliner capsule scuppered their originally scheduled week-long mission.

Finance | The hedge fund manager Crispin Odey will be banned from the City and hit with a £1.8m fine by the UK’s financial watchdog for deliberately attempting to “frustrate” a disciplinary process into sexual harassment allegations.

Second world war | The last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, John “Paddy” Hemingway, has died aged 105. The Royal Air Force (RAF) said Hemingway, a member of “the Few” who took to the skies during the second world war, died peacefully on Monday.