Over 100 people were killed in renewed airstrikes by Israel on Gaza, following the collapse of talks to extend a week-long ceasefire with Hamas.
Gazan health officials confirmed that 109 people had been killed and dozens wounded in the airstrikes that began shortly after dawn, marking the end of the truce.
Eastern areas of Khan Younis in southern Gaza faced intense bombardment as the truce expired. Residents were seen fleeing their homes with belongings piled up in carts, seeking shelter further west.
In northern Gaza, which had been the main war zone during the previous conflict, plumes of smoke rose from the ruins, visible from across the border in Israel.
The sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed through the area.
Sirens wailed across southern Israel as Hamas fighters launched rockets from Gaza into nearby towns.
Both Israel and Hamas accused each other of sabotaging the negotiations. The White House pointed the finger at Hamas, stating that the group had failed to provide a new list of hostages to be released as part of the truce extension agreement.
The UN warned that the renewed fighting would exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office in Geneva, described the situation as "hell on Earth returning to Gaza."
Israel's military stated that its ground, air, and naval forces had struck over 200 "terror targets" in Gaza since the morning.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant claimed to have personally observed the airstrikes from a warplane.
"The results are impressive. Hamas only understands force, and therefore we will continue to act until we achieve the goals of the war," he declared.
Egyptian and regional sources informed Reuters that Israel had proposed the establishment of a buffer zone on the Palestinian side of Gaza's border to prevent future attacks as part of its post-war plans for the enclave.
Medics and witnesses reported that Friday's airstrikes were most intense in Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Gazans had sought refuge from the fighting in the north. Houses in central and northern areas were also hit.
