by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) restarted its military campaign in the Gaza Strip on Friday following a week-long ceasefire. Hamas, a terrorist organization, violated the ceasefire by launching rockets into Israel and failing to submit a list of hostages intended for release by 7 a.m.
Reports indicated intense clashes in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City in the northern Gaza region. Palestinian media documented Israeli airstrikes across Gaza.
The conflict zones have expanded to encompass additional areas in northern and central Gaza, with ongoing Israeli airstrikes throughout the entire Strip.
In a statement released on Friday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated, “The Hamas-ISIS terrorist organization has violated the framework. It has not met its obligation to release all of the women hostages today and has launched rockets at Israeli citizens.”
“Amid the return to combat, we stress the government of Israel is committed to achieving the goals of the war — releasing our hostages, eliminating Hamas, and ensuring that Gaza can never again threaten the people of Israel,” the statement concluded.
Prime Minister Met with U.S. Secretary of State Blinken
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to his Jerusalem office on Thursday. This marked the fourth visit by the top U.S. diplomat to the Jewish state since the commencement of the war against Hamas on Oct. 7.
“This is the same Hamas that carried out the horrible massacre on Oct. 7, the same Hamas that tries to murder us everywhere. I told him: We swore, and I swore, to eliminate Hamas. Nothing will stop us,” Netanyahu told Blinken.
“The United States firmly supports Israel and its right to defend itself and to try to ensure that October 7 never happens again,” Secretary of State Blinken said. “At the same time, I look forward to detailed conversations … about the way ahead in Gaza.”
While the US supports Israel’s ongoing actions against Hamas, the White House has reportedly urged Israel to minimize further displacement of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
According to United Nations data, nearly 1.8 million Gaza residents have been displaced due to evacuation orders by the IDF.
The majority of displaced residents of Gaza are currently concentrated in the southern part of the Strip. Israel is anticipated to focus its military campaign in the south, where it believes the senior Hamas leadership and a significant portion of its military infrastructure are situated.
137 Hostages Still Held by Hamas
As of now, 110 individuals have returned to Israel, comprising 86 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals.
However, 137 individuals are still in captivity, with 117 men and 20 women. This group consists of 126 Israelis and 11 foreigners.
IDF Releases Map
On Friday, the IDF released a map intended to guide Gaza Strip residents to safe locations amidst renewed strikes following the end of the week-long ceasefire.
“This divides the territory of the Gaza Strip into areas according to recognizable areas to enable the residents of Gaza to orient themselves and understand the instructions and to evacuate from specific places for their safety if required,” the IDF said.
IDF Drops Leaflets
Palestinian reports indicate that the IDF distributed leaflets over southern Gaza, advising residents of multiple neighborhoods in Khan Yunis to evacuate to safety zones in Rafah. The warnings emphasized the hazardous combat conditions in the city of Khan Yunis.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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