The death toll in Gaza rose to at least 109 on Friday as Israel resumed its bombardment of the densely-inhabited Palestinian territory, ending a week-long truce that had brought some relief to the besieged population.
Israel said it had hit more than 200 targets belonging to Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza, in response to a rocket fired by the group before the end of the ceasefire.
Hamas accused Israel of violating the truce by failing to release a list of Palestinian prisoners that could have been freed in exchange for hostages held by the militants.
The renewed violence drew condemnation from the United Nations and the United States, which urged both sides to return to the negotiating table and extend the humanitarian pause.
“We continue to work with Israel, Egypt, and Qatar on efforts to extend the humanitarian pause in Gaza,” a White House National Security Council spokesperson said, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left Israel following diplomatic efforts to shore up the truce.
In a social media post, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “I deeply regret that military operations have started again in Gaza. I still hope that it will be possible to renew the pause that was established.”
The truce, which began on November 24, had allowed for the release of some hostages and prisoners, as well as the delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza, where hospitals and infrastructure have been severely damaged by the Israeli onslaught.
But the calm was shattered on Friday as Israel resumed its air strikes and ground operations, claiming that Hamas had tried to break the truce even before it expired.
“The terrorist organization Hamas bears sole responsibility for the continuation of the aggression,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement. “We will continue to act with full force until we achieve our goals of restoring security and deterrence.”
Hamas, which has been firing rockets at Israel since November 10 in protest of the blockade and occupation of Gaza, denied the Israeli accusations and blamed Israel for the collapse of the talks.
“Hamas did not fire any rocket before the end of the truce. Israel is lying and trying to justify its aggression,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said. “Israel is the one who refused to release the list of prisoners and did not respect the terms of the truce.”
The renewed hostilities brought scenes of horror and despair to Gaza, where more than 2,000 people have been killed and 13,000 wounded since the start of the conflict, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
“The healthcare service is on its knees,” Rob Holden, a World Health Organization (WHO) senior emergency officer, told journalists in Geneva on a video-link from Gaza as explosions were heard in the background. “It is like a horror movie.”
In the southern Gaza city of Rafah, a man screamed: “Where are my children?” as he searched for his family in the rubble of a house destroyed by bombs.
In Khan Yunis, another southern city, a group of men chanted “God is greatest” as they rushed through the streets carrying a body wrapped in a white shroud. “War has returned, even more fiercely”, Anas Abu Dagga, 22, said.
On a bed at Khan Yunis’s Nasser hospital, a member of the same family, Amal Abu Dagga wept, her beige veil covered in blood. “I don’t even know what happened to my children,” she said. Another relative, Jamil Abu Dagga, said the family had been at home when the bombs started falling.
In Israel, sirens warning of potential missiles sounded in several communities near Gaza, and authorities said they were restarting security measures in the area including closing schools.
A rocket strike destroyed a van in one Israeli community near Gaza, but no casualties were reported.
The Israeli military said it had intercepted several rockets fired from Gaza, and that its Iron Dome missile defense system was operational.
The violence also sparked protests and clashes in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinian demonstrators clashed with Israeli forces, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said at least 50 people were injured in the confrontations, which took place in several cities including Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem.
The UN Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the situation in Gaza, following a request from Norway, Tunisia and China.
The meeting will be the fourth on the Gaza crisis since it began, but the council has so far failed to agree on a joint statement calling for a ceasefire, due to opposition from the United States, Israel’s main ally.
