Jerusalem, Dec 1: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday blamed the Hamas of breaking the seven-day humanitarian truce in Gaza by refusing to release more hostages.
In a statement posted on X, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said: “The Hamas-ISIS terrorist organization has violated the outline. It has not met its obligation to release all of the women hostages today and has launched rockets at Israeli citizens.
“Upon the resumption of fighting, we emphasize: The Government of Israel is committed to achieving the goals of the war: Releasing the hostages, eliminating Hamas and ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to the residents of Israel.”
The truce, which was only renewed at the last minute for the seventh day on Thursday, expired at 7 a.m. local time (about 10.30 a.m. IST) on Friday morning.
Since the start of the pause, 240 Palestinians, 86 Israelis, and 24 foreign nationals have reportedly been released.
Earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the military has resumed combat operations against the Hamas in Gaza, accusing the militant group of violating the truce agreement by firing towards the Jewish state, thus ending the seven-day ceasefire.
In a post on X, the IDF said: “Hamas violated the operational pause, and in addition, fired toward Israeli territory. The IDF has resumed combat against the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza.”
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has told the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that his country will continue the war with Hamas until the terror outfit is defeated and deprived of its capabilities.
A statement from the office of the Defence Minister said that he had spoken to Blinken when they had met.
Blinken was in Israel for a third time after the war between Israel and Hamas erupted.
Yoav Gallant, a former General of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), is an important member of the ‘War Cabinet’ constituted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Gallant is considered a hawk in the ‘War Cabinet’, and has taken a tough position against Hamas. (IANS)
