War Resumes As Gaza Truce Collapses

Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza and rocket sirens blared in southern Israel on Friday as war resumed after a week-old truce ran out with no deal to extend it.

Israel's bombardment and ground invasion have laid waste to much of Gaza. I Photo: Ali Hamad of APAimages, for Wafa (Q2915969)

Two hours after the truce expired, Gaza health officials reported that 54 people had already been killed and dozens wounded in air strikes that hit at least eight homes, Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Suhaib Salem reported for Reuters.

"With the resumption of fighting we emphasize: The Israeli government is committed to achieving the goals of the war - to free our hostages, to eliminate Hamas, and to ensure that Gaza will never pose a threat to the residents of Israel," the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Ezzat El Rashq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said on the group's website: "What Israel did not achieve during the 50 days before the truce, it will not achieve by continuing its aggression after the truce," Mohammed Salem, Roleen Tafakji and Humeyra Pamuk also reported for Reuters.

Israel has sworn to annihilate Hamas in response to the Oct. 7 rampage that killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages. Hamas, sworn to Israel's destruction, has ruled Gaza since 2007.

Israel's bombardment and ground invasion have laid waste to much of Gaza. Palestinian health authorities deemed reliable by the UN say more than 15,000 Gazans have been confirmed killed and thousands more are missing and feared buried under rubble.

The UN says as many as 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million have been driven from their homes, with no way to escape the narrow territory, Ari Rabinovich, Emily Rose and Andrew Mills also reported for Reuters.

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