Hamas retaliates as 85 people killed in israeli strikes across gaza strip

Hamas retaliates as 85 people killed in israeli strikes across gaza strip

Israeli military restores a blockade on northern Gaza, including Gaza City; it announces an additional ground operation near the already destroyed town of Beit Lahiya; Trump ‘fully supports’ Israel’s resumption of air, ground operations in Gaza.

Israeli strikes killed at least 85 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Thursday, according to local health officials. Hours later, Hamas fired three rockets at Israel without causing casualties, in the first such attack since Israel ended their ceasefire with a surprise bombardment of Gaza on Tuesday.

The Israeli military meanwhile restored a blockade on northern Gaza, including Gaza City, that it had maintained for most of the war. It warned residents against using the main highway to enter or leave the north and said only passage to the south would be allowed on the coastal road.

It also announced an additional ground operation in northern Gaza near the already largely destroyed town of Beit Lahiya, where strikes have killed dozens over the past 24 hours.

The Trump administration, which took credit for helping to broker the ceasefire, has voiced full support for Israel. Blaming Hamas for the violence, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump “fully supports” Israel’s deadly resumption of air and ground operations in Gaza.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday alone, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The military said three rockets were fired out of Gaza on Thursday, with one intercepted and two falling in open areas. Hamas claimed the attack and said it had targeted Tel Aviv.

Earlier, the military said it intercepted a missile launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels overnight before it reached Israeli airspace, as air raid sirens and exploding interceptors were heard in Jerusalem. No injuries were reported. It was the second such attack since the United States began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.