“Gaza Has Returned To Hell On Earth,” Declares UN As Israel-Hamas Truce Breaks

Israel-Hams War: On Saturday, there was additional bloodshed in Gaza for a second day after the breakdown of talks to prolong a week-long ceasefire with Hamas and the assessment by mediators that Israeli shelling was making it more difficult to resume hostilities. The southern Gazan city of Khan Younis was heavily bombarded as the ceasefire deadline passed just after daybreak on Friday.

Health authorities in the coastal strip said that Israeli attacks had killed 184 people, injured at least 589 others, and damaged more than 20 dwellings in Gaza, despite Israel’s claims to have struck more than 200 “terror targets” with its land, air, and marine forces.

Early on Saturday, Israeli settlements outside of Gaza heard the sound of missile sirens, however there were no reports of substantial damage or casualties. Shots of Gaza from southern Israel showed smoke billowing into the sky and the sounds of explosions. The breakdown of the truce, which had seen Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons in exchange for hostages released by Hamas militants, was attributed by both parties to one another.

The UN predicted that the violence will worsen the already severe humanitarian situation. According to Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office in Geneva, “Hell on Earth has returned to Gaza,” as reported by Reuters.

Israel said that a cease-fire that started on November 24 could continue as long as Hamas freed ten captives per day, and the cease-fire was extended twice. Negotiators, according to news agency Reuters, were unable to come up with a strategy to rescue additional hostages after women, children, and international captives were freed for seven days. Israel said that Hamas was holding all the ladies and would not let them go.

Following a terrorist group’s October 7 attack in which it murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 more, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. Since then, Israeli attacks have mostly destroyed Gaza, which Hamas has controlled since 2007.