Strikes resume in the Gaza Strip as ceasefire expires

A weeklong cease-fire in the Gaza Strip collapsed on Friday morning, with both Israel and Hamas blaming the other for the breakdown of the truce that had allowed for the exchange of scores of hostages and prisoners.

Shortly before the truce expired at 7am local time, Israel said it had intercepted a projectile fired from Gaza. Moments after the deadline passed, Israel announced that it was restarting military operations, and Israeli airstrikes soon thundered again across the battered coastal strip.

By Friday evening, air-raid sirens were again blaring throughout central Israel, warning of possible incoming rockets in the greater Tel Aviv area. Israeli airstrikes had targeted Khan Younis in southern Gaza, an area where many Palestinians have sought shelter, as well as elsewhere across the enclave, according to Gaza’s Interior Ministry.

International mediators said talks were continuing in the hopes of reviving the truce, although Israeli officials expressed determination to carry on with their campaign to eradicate Hamas, the armed group that controls most of Gaza.

“With the return to fighting, we emphasize: The government of Israel is committed to achieving the war aims — freeing our hostages, eliminating Hamas and ensuring that Gaza will never again pose a threat to the residents of Israel,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in a statement released by his office.

Hamas said in a statement that it had offered to release more hostages, including older people, but that Israel had made “a prior decision to resume the criminal aggression.” Israel, for its part, said that Hamas had failed to release as many hostages from Gaza as it had promised. Hamas released eight hostages on Thursday, two fewer than expected. A total of 105 hostages were freed during the weeklong cease-fire, including two dozen foreign nationals.