The Israel Defense Forces on the morning of December 1 announced the resumption of hostilities against Hamas, as the terrorist group violated the operational pause and opened fire on Israel:
“Hamas violated the operational pause and, in addition, fired at Israeli territory. The Israel Defense Forces resumed hostilities against the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. IDF fighters are striking Hamas terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip. Details will come later.”
According to the IDF, sirens were sounded in communities around the Gaza Strip and the city of Ashkelon on Friday morning, warning of incoming rockets. They sounded hours after a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas ended at 7 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET). One siren sounded an hour before the end of the truce.
Military statement came moments after a seven-day truce between Israel and Hamas over the release of civilian hostages expired, with no sign the two sides had agreed to extend the agreement.
The Wall Street Journal, citing Egyptian official sources, reported that Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the humanitarian truce in Gaza for the eighth day, with the release of 10 more hostages. At the same time, Israel stated that its goal remains the same – to destroy Hamas.
The day before, on Thursday, another 8 prisoners returned from Gaza, and 30 Palestinians were returned there. For every hostage released, Israel releases three Palestinian prisoners from prison.
Israeli strikes killed 14 people in the Gaza Strip on Friday, a spokesman for the Hamas-controlled ministry said. writes CNN. A Hamas-controlled government media outlet blamed the US and international community for renewed fighting in the Gaza Strip after a week-long truce between Israel and Hamas broke down on Friday.
The ministry said that America and the international community “bear responsibility for the crimes of the Israeli occupation and the continuation of the brutal war against civilians, children and women in the Gaza Strip,” that Palestinians have the right to defend themselves “by any means necessary” and to establish a Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem.
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