The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired on Friday, 1 December morning and more than 32 Palestinians were killed after Israel resumed bombing today in three hours, mostly women and children, according to the health officials in the Palestinian territory.
As per AFP report, Marwan al-Hams, the director of Al-Najar hospital in Rafah in southern Gaza, where many Palestinians fled after being told by Israel to leave the north of the territory, said strikes killed at least nine people in the city, including four children.
Elsewhere, two children were killed in air raids on Gaza City, said Fadel Naim, a doctor with Al-Ahli hospital in the city.
Earlier today, the Israeli army dropped leaflets telling people in parts of already bombarded southern Gaza to evacuate, signalling an expanding offensive.
Combat resumed shortly after Israel's army said it had intercepted a rocket fired from Gaza, the first from the territory since a missile launched minutes into the start of the truce on November 24.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said fighting had restarted after Hamas "violated" the truce.
"Upon the resumption of fighting, we emphasise: 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," it said in a statement.
Neither Israel nor Hamas had announced an extension to the truce, and both had said repeatedly in the previous 24 hours that their forces were ready to resume fighting.
On Thursday, 30 November, US top diplomat Antony Blinken, met Israeli and Palestinian officials, called for the pause in hostilities to be extended, and warned any resumption of combat must protect Palestinian civilians.
Other world leaders, and aid groups, had also sought an extended pause.
During the truce brokered by Qatar with support from Egypt and the United States, 80 Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
More than 20 foreigners, most of them Thais living in Israel, were released.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)