Israel's Netanyahu blames Hamas for renewed attack on Gaza

JERUSALEM

Israel's prime minister announced Friday that the country resumed attacks in the blockaded Gaza Strip, claiming that Palestinian group Hamas launched rockets towards it and did not fulfill its side of a humanitarian pause deal.

Hamas "did not release all female hostages in accordance with the agreement and launched rockets towards Israeli territory," said a statement by Benjamin Netanyahu's office, adding that the resistance group was "responsible for the renewed attacks on Gaza."

"We will continue this war until we achieve the three goals: Freeing all of our hostages, completely eliminating Hamas and ensuring that no threat like this will ever come from Gaza again,” the statement said.

Israeli warplanes targeted several areas in the Gaza Strip early on Friday, according to an Anadolu correspondent on the ground.

The Interior Ministry in Gaza also noted that Israeli warplanes had started "flying over Gaza after the humanitarian pause ended."

The pause between Israel and Hamas, which went into effect on Nov. 24, ended on Friday morning.

Heavy gunfire and Israeli artillery shelling in the eastern Gaza Strip resumed as the humanitarian pause ended, according to an Anadolu correspondent on the ground.

Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian factions are also underway in the northern and central Gaza Strip, the correspondent also reported.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara