MEDIATOR Qatar said on Friday that efforts are continuing to renew an Israel-Hamas truce and expressed “deep regret” over the resumption of Israeli bombardments after a week-long ceasefire expired earlier on Friday. Israel and Hamas have traded blame, with each saying the other side violated the terms of the truce. Qatar, which has served as a mediator along with Egypt, appeared to be singling out Israel’s role in the resumption of violence. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that “the continued bombing of the Gaza Strip in the first hours after the end of the pause complicates mediation efforts and exacerbates the humanitarian catastrophe” in the territory. Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets hit targets in Gaza Strip minutes after the truce expired, as the war resumed in full force. According to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza claimed that Israeli airstrikes has killed 32 people in the besieged enclave so far.

Earlier, the Ministry had said 14 people were killed, reports CNN.

 

A Ministry official said the majority of those killed were women and children. In a separate statement, the Ministry of Interior confirmed that Israeli strikes had resumed across Gaza. Black smoke billowed from the besieged territory and Israel dropped leaflets over parts of southern Gaza urging people to leave their homes, suggesting it was preparing to widen its offensive. Renewed hostilities heightened concerns for the about 140 hostages who remain in Gaza, after more than 100 were freed as part of the truce. The collapse of the cease-fire came a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli officials and urged them to do more to protect Palestinian civilians as they seek to destroy Hamas.

 

Blinken was on his way Friday to the COP28 climate talks in Dubai, where he was to meet with Arab and other leaders. It was not clear to what extent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will heed the appeals of the United States, Israel’s most important ally. Netanyahu’s office said Friday that Israel “is committed to achieving the goals of the war: Releasing the hostages, eliminating Hamas and ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to the residents of Israel”. In the leaflets it dropped in southern Gaza, Israel urged people to leave homes east of the city of Khan Younis. The leaflets also warned that Khan Younis was now a “dangerous battle zone”. Hundreds of thousands of people fled northern Gaza earlier in the war, with many taking shelter in Khan Younis and other places in the south. One of the first airstrikes on Friday destroyed a large building in Khan Younis. Moments later, residents were seen frantically searching the rubble for survivors as medics approached. One wounded person was carried away on a stretcher.

 

In Hamad City, a Qatari-funded housing development near the city, a strike hit an apartment in a multi-story residential building, while other parts of the building appeared largely intact. In the refugee camp of Maghazi, rescuers clawed through the rubble of a large building hit by warplanes. A foot stuck out of the tangle of concrete and wiring. In Israel, sirens warning of incoming rockets blared at several communal farms near Gaza, a sign that Hamas also resumed attacks, but there were not reports of hits or damage. Netanyahu said the war resumed because Hamas had violated the terms of the truce. “It has not met its obligation to release all of the women hostages today and has launched rockets at Israeli citizens,” he said in a statement. Israel confirms death of 3 hostages abducted by Hamas on Oct 7: THE Israel Government has confirmed the death of three hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas after the October 7 mayhem in the country. The Israel Government said in a statement said that Maya Goren, Arye Zalmanovich and Ronen Engel, who were kidnapped on October 7, have died.