While Israel and Hamas blamed each other for the end of the truce, which allowed the release of about 240 hostages in exchange for the release of <> Palestinian prisoners and the acceleration of the arrival of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, the heavy bombardment has since resumed.
The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had attacked more than 400 targets in the Gaza Strip since the truce expired the previous day. The strikes killed 240 people and wounded 650 others in "hundreds of airstrikes, artillery and naval bombardments throughout the Gaza Strip," according to a Hamas tally that we cannot verify, adding that Israeli forces "particularly targeted Khan Younis, where dozens of homes were destroyed with their residents inside."
For its part, the Israeli army said it had "hit" with its "fighter jets more than 50 targets in the Khan Younis area". "IDF troops struck Hamas terrorists and infrastructure in the Beit Lahia area, using tank fire and launching airstrikes."
Targeted 'weapons storage complex'
Artillery fire and airstrikes were also directed at the "northern Gaza Strip," according to the statement, which said "terrorist cells," a "mosque used by Islamic Jihad as an operational command center," and a "weapons storage complex," were targeted. "What we are doing now is hitting Hamas military targets throughout the Gaza Strip," IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus said.
North Gaza since this morning 💔💔 #IsraelWarCrimes #Gaza_under_attack_now #FreeGazaFromIsrael #SaveGazaLives pic.twitter.com/2yyN4Zgnsd
— 🔻مريَم (@3hWN5ykpVWuiBBB) December 2, 2023
In addition, in the southern Gaza Strip, "infrastructure and equipment used by Hamas' naval forces" were targeted. International leaders and humanitarian groups have condemned the renewed fighting. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on X, formerly Twitter: "I deeply regret that military operations have resumed in Gaza."
The UN's humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, said there were fears that the conflict could spread to the region. "Today, in a matter of hours, dozens of people would have been killed and injured. Families were again asked to evacuate. Hopes were dashed. Fears of a wider regional conflict grew after Syria's Defense Ministry said Israeli strikes hit Damascus on Saturday and the militant group Hezbollah said one of its members was killed in an Israeli strike on Lebanon on Friday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), an NGO with an extensive network of sources in Syria, said two pro-Hezbollah fighters were killed in the strikes on "Hezbollah sites." Asked by AFP, the Israeli army had not commented on the strikes.