Israel has widened its military operations to Gaza as it continued to bomb the besieged territory for a third consecutive day, while the Palestinian group of Hamas pulled roquettes to Israel for the first time since a fragile break was broken this week.
The Gaza Ministry of Health said that at least 91 people – including a newborn baby – had been killed in the attacks that took place during the night and early Thursday in the south and north of the Gaza Strip. Dozens would have been injured during the assault.
Early Thursday, the Palestinian point of sale, the network of new water, said that at least 20 people had been killed in Khan Younis in southern Gaza after Israeli forces struck several houses in the region.
In the north of Gaza, an attack on a family home in the clever neighborhood, west of Beit Lahiya, killed at least seven people.
“Israeli attacks through the Gaza Strip have intensified, in particular at dawn, while at least 11 residential buildings were flattened by Israeli forces,” said Tareq Abu Azzoum of Tel Aviv Tribune, reporting from Central Gaza.
“Among the victims who were killed today, there was a newborn baby alongside children and women,” said Abu Azzoum.
“There was a clear strategic approach that Israel has used, which does not transmit any warning to civilians before hitting the buildings in which they take refuge,” he added.
Hamas launches rockets
Later Thursday, Hamas said that he had pulled “a M90 rocket dam” at the commercial hub of Israel in Tel Aviv in response to what she called “massacres against civilians” in Gaza.
The attack marked the first volley in Hamas rocket fire since Israel broke the ceasefire almost two months with the group. Hamas has lost senior figures in the strikes of Israel, notably the de facto chief of the Gaza government and the head of the security services.
The Israeli army said it had intercepted a projectile from Gaza, while two others fell into an open area. No victim has been reported.
Later Thursday, the Israeli army announced the expansion of its ground operations in Rafah, claiming that it “conducts a terrestrial activity” in the Shaboura region in Rafah, the most southern city of Gaza near the Egyptian border, while continuing operations on the ground of the North and the center of Gaza. He said he “dismantled … terrorist infrastructure” in Rafah.
This week’s Israeli attacks killed at least 591 people, including 200 children, said the Gaza Ministry of Health. At least 1,042 people were injured, he added.
Many others are supposed to be stuck under the rubble.
Take the netzarim corridor
On Wednesday, Israeli troops resumed the ground operations in the center of Gaza, they recovered control of the Netzarim corridor, effectively cutting northern Gaza from the rest of the enclave.
Israel’s Arabic language spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Thursday that Palestinians wishing to travel from north to south should only do so via Al-Rashid street along the coast and should avoid approaching Israeli soldiers for their safety.
“The moving of the Israeli army to reoccupy to reoccupy Netzarim’s corridor brings in bad memories before the ceasefire,” said Hani Mahmoud of Tel Aviv Tribune, reported by Gaza City.
“During the ceasefire, the Palestinians could cross it to return home in the north. But no more now. Now the people’s movement is quite limited.
“His reoccupation is a reminder that the Israeli army is progressing for a larger -scale operation,” said Mahmoud, adding that before the truce, Netzarim served as a launch ramp for many Israeli military operations and was “a death trap for many Palestinians”.
Israelis protest against Netanyahu
The breakdown of the ceasefire was also welcomed by anger in Israel, where many support families of captives in search of the return of their relatives of Gaza.
Thousands of Israeli demonstrators Masséalem on Wednesday, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of having resumed attacks on Gaza without regard to the safety of captives still held in the coastal enclave.
In a statement quoted by the Palestinian Information Center, Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif Al-Qanou, said that the group remained attached to the framework of the original ceasefire signed in January and that he joined the mediators to “force” Israel to join and stop his renewed assaults.
“We work with mediators to spare our people from the war permanently” and we assure that Israel withdraw from Gaza, said Al-Qanou.
Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the renewed bombing of Gaza was “only the beginning” and that Israel would continue until he achieved all his war objectives: destroy Hamas and release all the captives.
