178 killed as Israel resumes strikes in Gaza post ceasefire

Gaza Strip, December 1

War between Israel and Hamas resumed in full force on Friday, with airstrikes hitting targets in the Gaza Strip minutes after the week-long truce expired. At least 178 Palestinians have been killed while 589 have been injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza so far.

Map to assist safe evacuation

The Israeli army said on Friday that with the resumption of fighting it had published a map to advise Gazans of safe areas for their evacuation.

Visa bans on Israeli extremist settlers

• The Biden administration has informed Israel that Washington will impose visa bans in the next few weeks on Israeli extremist settlers engaged in violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, a senior State Department official said.
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet that the US will take its own action against an undisclosed number of individuals

In Israel, sirens warned of incoming rockets at several communal farms near Gaza, a sign that militants also restarted attacks. The renewed hostilities heightened concerns for Palestinians, many of whom have been displaced by the war.

Qatar said negotiators were still trying to restart the cease-fire. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry singled out Israel’s role in the resumption of fighting and said it “complicates mediation efforts and exacerbates the humanitarian catastrophe”.

Meanwhile, Israel has blamed the Palestinian group for resumption of war. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war resumed because Hamas had violated the terms of the truce. “It has not met its obligation to release all women hostages today and has launched rockets at Israeli citizens,” he said in a statement.

Besides, the entry of aid and fuel trucks for the Gaza Strip at Egypt’s Rafah crossing were also halted as Israel resumed its military campaign, said Egyptian security and aid sources.

Urging parties to ensure that a lasting ceasefire be upheld, The United Nations on Friday deplored the resumption of military operations in Gaza. The resumption of hostilities in Gaza is catastrophic, said Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“A lasting ceasefire must be implemented. Inaction at its core is an approval of the killing of children,” James Elder, spokesperson for UNICEF, told reporters via a video link from Gaza. — Agencies