After a week-long ceasefire, the war in the Gaza Strip is back in full force. The Israeli army resumed the fight against the Islamist Hamas on Friday, attacking more than 200 targets in the north and south of the closed coastal strip within a few hours. Dozens of rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip. Efforts to extend the ceasefire and release more hostages had previously failed.
According to mediator Qatar, negotiations continued in any case to suspend the fighting again. The United Nations has also urged this. A spokesperson for US President Joe Biden’s National Security Council said of the negotiations: “Hamas has not yet submitted a hostage list that could further extend the pause.”
Israel confirms the death of five hostages
The Israeli army confirmed the deaths of five hostages abducted to the Gaza Strip by the radical Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas on Friday. Relatives have been informed and the body of a hostage has been returned to Israel, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said.
The Hamas attack on Israel with approximately 1,200 deaths and approximately 240 hostages kidnapped sparked the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. Last week, Israel and Hamas agreed for the first time on a ceasefire brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the US, which was briefly extended twice. During this time, Hamas released 105 hostages and Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners in return.
Israel: Hamas backtracked on agreement
A further extension of the agreement was not possible on Friday evening. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas: “Today it breached its obligation to release all female hostages and fired rockets at Israeli civilians.” Israel suspects that 137 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, including 115 men and 20 women. and two children.
For his part, Hamas official Khalil Al-Haya told Arab TV channel Al-Jazeera that Israel had rejected “several offers, initiatives and proposals” for an extension of the ceasefire. After the deadline passed at 6 a.m. CET on Friday morning, Israeli fighter jets again attacked Hamas targets, the military said.
Attacks in the south are likely to increase in the future
The Israeli army took stock in the afternoon: ground, air and naval forces attacked 200 targets, including in the south of the Gaza Strip. For weeks, the army had previously urged residents of the northern coastal strip to flee south for their safety. It is now expected that Israel could expand attacks in the southern part.
The military said Friday it was targeting booby-trapped areas, as well as tunnel shafts, launch pads and command centers. The information could not be independently verified. This also applies to statements from the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, according to which 178 people were killed in the attacks. Hundreds of others were injured.
Aid deliveries suspended
After the ceasefire expired, aid deliveries stopped entering the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip. This was confirmed on Friday by the Palestinian spokesperson for the border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. The UN emergency aid agency OCHA called for free access for further aid convoys. The UN children’s fund Unicef strongly condemned the new fighting and spoke of the risk of a massacre.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
