Ceasefire Not Extended in Gaza as Israeli Forces Resume Brutal Offensive
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Explosions and gunfire rocked northern Gaza as Israel officially resumed its attacks on the besieged strip following the expiration of a temporary ceasefire.
Palestinian media outlets reported intense clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian resistance fighters on Friday. The Israeli military confirmed the resumption of combat against Gaza.
The Gaza-based interior ministry stated that Israel initiated artillery strikes on the northwestern part of the Gaza Strip, accompanied by a series of airstrikes targeting the besieged area.
Health ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra reported at least six Palestinians killed in an Israeli air raid on Rafah city in the south of Gaza. Additionally, two children were killed in Israeli air raids on Gaza City, as confirmed by Fadel Naim, a doctor with Al-Ahli hospital.
Earlier, sirens sounded in Israeli settlements near Gaza, with the Israeli regime claiming the interception of a rocket fired from Gaza.
The truce, extended twice, commenced on November 24 and concluded at 7 am (0500 GMT) Friday, temporarily halting the brutal Israeli strikes on Gaza that commenced in early October.
Israel initiated the war on Gaza on October 7, responding to the surprise operation by the Palestinian resistance movement that was initiated in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of violence and devastation against Palestinians.
Tel Aviv further exacerbated the situation by blocking water, food, and electricity to Gaza, leading to a humanitarian crisis in the coastal strip.
Over 15,500 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, were mercilessly killed in the Israeli strikes.
The truce facilitated the release of 105 Israeli captives held in Gaza and 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Despite some humanitarian aid entering Gaza during the ceasefire, aid workers emphasize that the supplies fall significantly short of the region's urgent needs.