Israel resumes combat in Gaza, says Hamas violated temporary truce
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Israel resumed its attack on Gaza after claiming Hamas violated the parties’ temporary truce Friday morning by firing toward Israeli territory.
“Hamas violated the operational pause, and in addition, fired toward Israeli territory,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement at around 7:15 a.m. local time.
“The IDF has resumed combat against the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza.”
Israel said it intercepted a rocket fired from Gaza shortly before the truce was set to expire at 7 a.m.
Israeli air and artillery strikes also rocked Gaza after the deadline passed, according to Palestinian media.
Israel and Hamas had previously agreed to a temporary cease-fire and hostage-prisoner exchange through Qatari mediators.
The pause in fighting began on Nov. 24 and was extended to a seventh day Thursday after Hamas agreed to release more Israeli hostages its militants had abducted from the Jewish nation during their deadly Oct. 7 invasion.
Dozens of Israeli hostages, all women and children, were freed in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians held prisoner in Israel during the truce.
The pause in fighting also allowed desperately-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, where the Health Ministry says 13,300 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes and thousands more are homeless after their homes were destroyed by the missives.
With Post wires
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