Israel’s military has announced that it has resumed fighting in Gaza after a truce with Hamas expired. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that Hamas violated the operational pause and fired towards Israeli territory, prompting the IDF to resume combat against the terrorist organization. This announcement came shortly after the military intercepted a rocket fired from Gaza, the first since the truce began. Reports from inside Gaza confirm airstrikes, artillery fire, and the presence of drones in the area.
The resumption of fighting has dashed hopes for an extension of the seven-day truce, which had resulted in the release of dozens of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoner releases by Israel. US top diplomat Antony Blinken, who met with Israeli and Palestinian officials, had called for the extension of the pause in hostilities and emphasized the need to protect Palestinian civilians.
The truce, brokered by Qatar, had temporarily halted the fighting that began on October 7 when Hamas breached Gaza’s militarized border into Israel. This surprise attack resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the kidnapping of around 240 individuals by Hamas.
During the truce, 80 Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. Additional hostages, including foreigners, were also released outside the scope of the agreement. However, the total number of hostages released fell short of the truce deal’s requirement of ten per day.
Despite efforts to extend the truce, Israel made it clear that it viewed the pause as temporary and aimed solely at securing the release of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his government is determined to eliminate Hamas.
International bodies have called for more time to provide essential supplies to Gaza, where an estimated 1.7 million people have been displaced from their homes. The truce had allowed some residents to return to their destroyed homes and search for remaining belongings, providing a brief respite from the daily bombardment.
The expiration of the truce has also heightened tensions in the West Bank, where nearly 240 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers since October 7. The New York Times reported that Israeli authorities were aware of Hamas’ plans for a major assault but dismissed it as aspirational. However, the group largely followed the blueprint during the attack on October 7.
