Hopes for a further extension of the ceasefire in the Gaza war have been dashed. Israel’s army has resumed fighting – and accuses the terrorists of violating the ceasefire agreement.
The Israeli army says it has resumed fighting in the Gaza Strip against the Islamist Hamas. Fighter planes are currently attacking targets of the Islamist Hamas in the cordoned off area, the army announced after the end of the week-long ceasefire.
Hamas violated the ceasefire and fired into Israeli territory, the army said. According to its own statements, it initially repelled a suspected rocket attack from the Gaza Strip shortly before the end of the ceasefire deadline. Subsequently, several attacks were reported from the sealed off area towards Israel, which were not intercepted.
The Arabic television channel Al Jazeera reported heavy fighting in the city of Gaza and other areas in the north of the Gaza Strip, citing eyewitnesses. In the center of the Gaza Strip there is also tank fire near the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps, it said. The BBC also reported air strikes in the south of the Gaza Strip, citing Hamas. The British broadcaster reported that its own sources had confirmed this.
The UN children’s fund Unicef strongly condemns the new fighting. “Today those in power have decided to continue the killing of children,” said Unicef spokesman James Elder. New attacks on the people of Gaza would only cause “a new bloodbath” but would have no other effect, he said in a video link from the Gaza Strip.
Hamas: Israel has rejected proposals to extend the ceasefire
According to a senior Hamas official, Israel rejected “several offers, initiatives and proposals” to extend the ceasefire. Khalil Al-Haja told Arabic TV channel Al-Jazeera: “We were ready to deal with three proposals for exchange (of hostages and prisoners), but the occupation (meaning Israel) rejected them.” Instead, Israel prepared to continue the attacks in the Gaza Strip.
“We were in contact with the mediators until this morning, but talks about a ceasefire ended when the bombing began,” the Hamas official said.
Al-Haja accused Israel of maliciously giving the intermediaries a list of names that “all turned out to be female soldiers.” Israel also refused to discuss exchanging adult Palestinian prisoners for adult hostages.
Al-Haja said Hamas told mediators they remained willing to exchange hostages for prisoners until a ceasefire was reached.
Iran calls for continued ceasefire
Following the resumption of fighting in the Gaza war, Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian called for a continuation of the ceasefire. There is no solution other than maintaining the ceasefire, massive deployment of humanitarian aid to Gaza and an agreement on the exchange of prisoners, the minister said on the online platform X (formerly Twitter). “Prisoners are not freed by war, but killed by attacks,” it continued.
Iran is considered an important supporter of the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but the leadership in Tehran has vehemently denied any direct involvement in the conflict. In recent days, Iran had already spoken out in favor of a permanent ceasefire.
UN chief Guterres hopes for a new ceasefire in the Gaza war
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep regret at the resumption of fighting in the Gaza Strip. “The return to hostilities just shows how important it is to have a real humanitarian ceasefire,” he wrote on the X (formerly Twitter) platform. “I still hope that it will be possible to renew the pause that was put in place,” said Guterres.
Fighting in the Gaza Strip resumed on Friday morning immediately after the ceasefire deadline expired. Guterres had previously called for a “real humanitarian ceasefire” between Israel and the Islamist Hamas. At that time there was still hope that negotiations for an extended ceasefire would be successful.
Baerbock is committed to continuing the ceasefire
After the resumption of fighting in the Gaza war, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for an international effort to continue the ceasefire. “In these minutes we must do everything we can to ensure that the humanitarian ceasefire continues,” demanded the Green politician in Berlin.
This is necessary “both for the remaining hostages, who have been hoping for release in dark tunnels for weeks, and for the suffering people in Gaza who urgently need more humanitarian aid.”
The suffering is unbearable for the people in Israel as well as for the people in Gaza, Baerbock explained about the current situation. “This suffering must finally stop for everyone.” Israel will never be able to live in security if terror is not combated. At the same time, there can only be security for Israel if the Palestinians also have prospects for the future.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
