New Delhi: The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza collapsed on Friday morning after Israel reported that it shot down a rocket from Gaza and media outlets linked to Hamas said there were blasts and shots in the north of the Palestinian territory in the hour before the ceasefire was supposed to expire. More rocket alarms went off in Israeli regions near Gaza just before the deadline, according to the Israeli military. Hamas did not immediately respond or claim the launches.
The seven-day break, which started on Nov. 24 and was prolonged twice, enabled the swap of dozens of hostages in Gaza for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the devastated enclave.
Qatar and Egypt have been working hard to prolong the ceasefire after the latest exchange of eight hostages and 30 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday. Israel had earlier demanded the release of 10 hostages a day as the minimum condition to halt its ground attack and bombing.
“We’re ready for all possibilities… Without that, we’re going back to the combat,” Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told CNN before the ceasefire expired.
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, which controls Gaza, in retaliation for the Oct. 7 rampage by the militant group, when Israel says gunmen killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages. Israel hit back with heavy bombing and a ground invasion. Palestinian health authorities trusted by the United Nations say more than 15,000 Gazans have been verified killed.
Thursday’s releases increased the totals freed during the ceasefire to 105 hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners. With fewer Israeli women and children remaining in captivity, extending the ceasefire could require new terms for Hamas to free Israeli men, including soldiers.
The militant group could also demand to have Palestinian male prisoners released. So far, three Palestinian prisoners have been freed for each Israeli hostage.