Israel Resumes Military Campaign in Gaza After Truce Breakdown
Israel has resumed its military campaign aimed at ending Hamas after the group broke the seven-day truce by firing rockets into Israeli territory. The Israel Defense Forces expanded its operations to the southern part of Gaza, leading to calls from world leaders for civilians to be protected.
Dozens of Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Friday, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. Israel maintains that Hamas is embedding itself in civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals and playgrounds, for military purposes, making them legitimate targets.
Negotiations to revive the truce were ongoing as of Friday night. Hamas claimed to be having trouble locating 10 women and children hostages, a condition Israel insisted must be met to extend the truce. Israeli officials rejected claims that they were rejecting all offers to extend the agreement and emphasized their commitment to protecting civilians.
The negotiating parties – Israel and Hamas, in consultation with Qatar, the United States, and Egypt – are continuing discussions about the release of women hostages. The Israel Defense Forces stated that there were still 136 hostages in Gaza, with 17 believed to be women and children. The expansion of Israeli military operations in Gaza has prompted concerns about civilian casualties.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported that 178 people have been killed and hundreds more wounded since Israel resumed military operations. The United States has intensified pressure on Israel to protect Palestinian civilians, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken visiting the region and urging immediate ceasefire.
In addition, more than 260 Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank during the now-expired truce period, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society. The group has criticized the number of arrests, while Israeli officials obtained a document outlining Hamas’s battle plan more than a year before the group carried out the attack.
The situation in Gaza remains tenuous as negotiations continue and efforts to protect civilians intensify amidst escalating violence.