Israel has resumed air raids on Gaza after a seven-day break in fighting. Here’s what we know so far:
How did the truce between Israel and Hamas end?
The truce between Israel and Hamas began on November 24 and was renewed twice before ending on Friday. Under the truce, fighting was suspended and humanitarian aid was allowed to enter Gaza as Hamas released captives in exchange for Israel’s release of Palestinian prisoners.
The United Nations humanitarian office, OCHA, reported that despite a pause in fighting, Israeli forces fired on Palestinians in Gaza on November 29, killing two people. They also bombed people on November 30.
Earlier on Friday, Tel Aviv Tribune’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reported from Khan Younis in southern Gaza that Palestinians were anxiously hoping the truce would be extended to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave.
An hour before the truce was scheduled to end, at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT), the Israeli army announced that its Iron Dome missile defense system had detected the arrival of rockets. After that, they “intercepted a launch from Gaza.”
🔴 Following sirens that sounded in communities near Gaza, the IDF air defense network managed to intercept a launch from Gaza.
– Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 1, 2023
“We saw rockets fired from Gaza before being intercepted by Iron Dome, which Hamas later dismissed as simple duds,” Tel Aviv Tribune’s Imran Khan reported from East Jerusalem. “Or it could be a message to try to put pressure on the Israelis to try to extend this ceasefire.”
Hamas did not immediately respond or claim responsibility for the launches.
Has Israel resumed its air raids on Gaza?
The deadline for the extension of the truce passed without either side announcing an extension. Minutes later, Israeli air raids and artillery battles resumed in Gaza and witnesses in the enclave reported violent clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighting groups.
The Israeli army announced on X that the fighting was now resuming because “Hamas had violated the operational pause” and “fired towards Israeli territory”.
Hamas violated the operational pause and further fired towards Israeli territory.
The Israeli army has resumed combat against the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/gVRpctD79R
– Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 1, 2023
Where has fighting resumed in Gaza?
Clashes on the ground between Israel and Hamas have resumed in different areas of the territory, Azzoum reported. At least 70 people have been killed since the Israeli army resumed attacks, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Two people were killed in Beit Lahia, in the north of the Gaza Strip.
Intense shelling is underway in eastern Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Israel dropped leaflets asking residents of Khan Younis to move further south to Rafah, on the border with Egypt.
One casualty was reported in the town of Khan Younis and two were killed in the town of Hamad, south of Khan Younis.
The Israeli army declares the town of Khan Younes a war zone and threatens residents of the eastern parts of the town with immediate evacuation. pic.twitter.com/fSp0WAZL38
—Younis Tirawi | يونس (@ytirawi) December 1, 2023
On Friday, a building in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza was completely destroyed. According to reports, a house was also destroyed in Rafah, south of Gaza.
Israel is also bombing near the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps in central Gaza. Also in central Gaza, 10 people were killed and several civilians were injured in the Maghazi region.
Due to Israeli bombardment and clashes that began after the October 7 Hamas attack, around 60 percent of homes in Gaza were destroyed, the Gaza government media office reported. At least 50,000 families and their extended families are now homeless and around 250,000 homes have been partially destroyed. More than 15,000 people in Gaza, including at least 6,150 children, have died, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Could the United States have stopped the resumption of fighting?
On his third visit to Israel since the escalation of violence, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that Israel cannot repeat the massive civilian casualties and killings in southern Gaza. displacements of inhabitants that it inflicted on the north.
Yet there is no evidence that Israel is limiting the war.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on support this apartheid regime.”
Yossi Mekelberg, a research associate at Chatham House, told Tel Aviv Tribune that the United States had enough leverage to stop the fighting and influence other countries to change the course of the war.
The vice-president of the executive council of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, Ali Damoush, declared that Israel had resumed its aggression against Gaza following an American decision. He called the United States the decision-maker in this war, adding: “This war from the beginning has been America’s war against the Palestinian people,” on Telegram.
Where did Hamas attack?
Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, announced on Telegram that it had attacked the southern Israeli towns of Ashkelon, Sderot and Beersheba with rocket fire. The group said the attacks were “in response to the targeting of civilians.”
What about Palestinian captives and prisoners?
Nearly 240 prisoners were captured by Hamas following the October 7 attack. Of these, 127 are still in Gaza, and 110 were released as part of the truce.
Israel initially released a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners eligible for release during the pause in fighting. A list of 50 additional names of eligible prisoners was later released. Of the 350 prisoners, 240 have been released and 110 remain. However, at the same time, Israel has arrested approximately the same number of Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
After that ?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that with the resumption of fighting, Israel was determined to achieve its goals in the war.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement Friday expressing “deep regret at the resumption of Israeli aggression against Gaza.” The statement added that negotiations between Hamas and Israel continue “with the aim of returning to a state of pause.” Qatar has played a central role in mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas.
Statement |Qatar expresses deep regret over the resumption of Israeli aggression against Gaza after the end of the humanitarian pause #MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/9eJVs3qSqI
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) December 1, 2023
Israel’s participation in the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), which opened Thursday in Dubai amid continuing war, has also been criticized by some.
Meanwhile, with the resumption of war, no aid entered Gaza on Friday since the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
