Russia on Tuesday expressed “deep regret” over Israel’s renewed airstrikes on Gaza, condemning actions that result in civilian casualties and urging both sides to return to negotiations.

The statement came after Palestinian health authorities reported that more than 400 people were killed in what Israel described as a “preemptive offensive” against Hamas militants, who are still holding 59 Israeli hostages.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated, “Moscow learned with deep regret of Israel’s renewal of its military operation in the Gaza Strip. As experience shows, it is impossible to resolve the issue of freeing hostages by force. Russia strongly condemns any actions that lead to the death of civilians and the destruction of social infrastructure.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed these concerns, highlighting the alarming reports of civilian casualties. “We are monitoring the situation very closely and, of course, are waiting for it to return to a peaceful course,” Peskov said.

The Israeli airstrikes, which began early Tuesday, shattered a ceasefire that had been in place since January, threatening to reignite the 17-month-long conflict. According to hospital officials, at least 404 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed in the bombardment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas refused to modify the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The operation, described as open-ended, is expected to expand further. The White House confirmed it had been consulted and expressed support for Israel’s actions.

The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for eastern Gaza, including parts of Beit Hanoun and other southern communities, signalling the possibility of renewed ground operations. Netanyahu’s office stated, “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength.”

The surprise attack disrupted a period of relative calm during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, raising fears of a full-scale return to violence in a conflict that has already claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and caused widespread destruction across Gaza.

Hamas, in a statement on Tuesday, blamed the U.S. for the deadly airstrikes, citing Washington’s “unlimited political and military support” for Israel. “With its unlimited political and military support for the occupation (Israel), Washington bears full responsibility for the massacres and the killing of women and children in Gaza,” the group said.

Astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally on their way back to Earth after spending over nine months in space. NASA confirmed that the spacecraft carrying them successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS), marking the beginning of their return journey.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft, launched by SpaceX atop a Falcon 9 rocket, detached from the ISS at 10:35 AM (IST). NASA also shared a video of the moment, showcasing the long-awaited departure.

Nine-month delay after Boeing Starliner failure

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore initially traveled to the ISS on June 5 last year aboard Boeing’s Starliner for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission. However, technical issues with the Starliner’s propulsion system left them stranded in space. The capsule was deemed unfit to bring them back and was returned to Earth without a crew in September.

With uncertainty looming over their return, NASA reassigned them to SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission. Unlike the usual four-member crew, SpaceX sent a Dragon spacecraft with only two astronauts to the ISS in September, ensuring the stranded crew could return.

Four astronauts onboard return mission

After multiple delays, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully docked at the ISS on Sunday. Now, with the undocking complete, the crew has begun their 17-hour journey back to Earth.

The return flight includes four astronauts: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, NASA’s Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Their spacecraft is expected to splash down off the Florida coast at approximately 3:27 AM (IST) on Wednesday.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, the two U.S. astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months, are finally set to return to Earth. NASA has scheduled their splashdown for Tuesday evening (EDT), off the Florida coast aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.

NASA advances return schedule

Initially planned for Wednesday, NASA moved up the return to 5:57 pm EDT on Tuesday (3:27 am IST, Wednesday). The decision was made to allow for a smooth crew transition while ensuring a safe return before unfavorable weather conditions develop later in the week.

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will also be aboard the Crew Dragon as it makes its descent. The hatch closure preparations will begin on Monday evening, and the entire journey back will be streamed live.

The nine-month ordeal

Williams and Wilmore have been on the ISS since June, far beyond their expected mission duration. Their extended stay was due to propulsion issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which was deemed unfit for the return journey.

Originally designed as a short round-trip, their mission ended up lasting three months longer than a standard six-month ISS rotation. While this is much shorter than the record 371-day stay by NASA astronaut Frank Rubio or the world record 437-day stay by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, the sudden extension forced them to receive additional clothing and supplies.