Israeli airstrikes pounded Gaza once again on Friday as the week-long ceasefire expired without an extension agreement.
Palestinian civilians frantically sought shelter, while rocket sirens blared across southern Israel. The resumption of hostilities saw no mutual consent to prolong the ceasefire, prompting the Israeli military to declare the recommencement of combat operations. They accused Hamas of initiating the breach by launching rockets and stated that their airstrikes were targeting “terrorist targets” within the enclave.
Hamas, on the other hand, attributed the breakdown of the truce to Israel, accusing them of rejecting offers to release additional captives held by militants in Gaza.
Shortly after the deadline passed, journalists in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, bore witness to the intense bombardment of eastern neighborhoods, with columns of smoke billowing into the sky. Residents fled westward, desperate for safety, amidst the haunting echoes of gunfire and explosions.
The northern enclave, which had been the primary battleground before the ceasefire, was once again engulfed in plumes of smoke visible from across the border in Israel. The cacophony of gunfire and detonations resonated through the air, underscoring the terrors of renewed conflict.
Mere hours after the ceasefire lapsed, the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza reported 32 casualties from the Israeli strikes.
