Israel bombs hundreds of targets in Gaza amid ongoing truce efforts, Gaza health authorities report nearly 200 dead in Israeli attacks.
The truce lasted seven days, renewed each day, but ended with each warring side accusing the other of derailing the truce by rejecting terms to extend the daily release of hostages held by Hamas militants in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
The southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, where thousands of civilians have moved from the enclave’s north, came under heavy bombardment on Friday as a week-long truce expired, and intensified on Saturday. Israel confirmed the strikes and called on people to evacuate Khan Younis as military operations expanded, urging them to move south towards Rafah.
The UN said the fighting would exacerbate the humanitarian emergency in Gaza. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office in Geneva, expressed the current situation:
Hell on Earth has returned to Gaza
Talks continue with the Palestinian group to resume a pause in fighting, mediated by Qatar and Egypt. Qatar, which plays the central mediating role, said talks with Israelis and Palestinians to restore the truce were continuing, but Israel’s renewed bombardment of Gaza had complicated the situation.
Hind Khoudary, from Deir el-Balah in Gaza, said Israeli tanks continue to shell the enclave and naval forces launch continuous attacks from the coast.
It was very tough last night with people in Gaza describing it as one of the toughest, as there has been non-stop bombardment in the last 24 hours.
As the bloody war continues, the US has provided Israel with large “bunker buster” bombs as well as tens of thousands of other weapons and artillery shells to help push Hamas out of Gaza.
More than 15,000 Gazans, including 6,150 children, have been killed and thousands have gone missing since the conflict began on 7 October, according to Palestinian health authorities recognised as reliable by the UN.
