Israel resumes fighting in Gaza, says Hamas violated terms of ceasefire
The Israeli military has announced the resumption of conbat operations in the Gaza Strip against Hamas militants on Friday, December 1, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
"Hamas violated the operational pause, and in addition, fired toward Israeli territory," stated the IDF.
In response, the Israeli forces decided to resume military operations in the Gaza Strip and target the terrorist organization Hamas.
Additionally, local media reported that shortly before this announcement, gunfire sounds and air raid sirens were heard in northern Israel.
Earlier, media reports indicated that Israel and Hamas had agreed to extend the ceasefire a few hours before its expiration. The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, has been repeatedly extended, but it has also faced potential disruptions.
Hamas hostage release
Last week, Israel signed an agreement with Hamas for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages. The first group of fighters was released on November 24 and transported to Israeli hospitals.
The following day, Hamas released a group of 17 individuals, handing them over to the Red Cross. On November 26, the Red Cross accepted a third group of 17 individuals released from Hamas captivity.
In addition, Hamas released three French underage hostages.
For more details on Israel's agreements with Hamas and the duration of the ongoing war, please refer to the RBC-Ukraine material.