Israel announces strikes on Gaza after truce expires
Deir AL-Balah (Gaza Strip)(AP/PTI): Israeli fighter jets hit Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday shortly after a weeklong truce expired, the military said, as the war resumed in full force.
Airstrikes hit southern Gaza, including the community of Abassan east of the town of Khan Younis, the Interior Ministry in the Hamas-run territory said. Another strike hit a home northwest of Gaza City.
Live footage from the Gaza Strip showed black smoke billowing from the territory.
The Israeli military's announcement of the strikes came only 30 minutes after the cease-fire expired at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) Friday.
Earlier Friday, Israel accused Hamas of having violated the terms of the cease-fire, including by firing rockets toward Israel from Gaza.
The halt in fighting began Nov. 24. It initially lasted for four days, and then was extended for several days with the help of Qatar and fellow mediator Egypt.
During the week-long truce, Hamas released more than 100 hostages, most of them Israelis, in return for 240 Palestinians freed from prisons in Israel.
Palestinians in Gaza have called for a permanent end to the war, saying the temporary truces don't resolve the humanitarian catastrophe in the territory. Over 1.8 million people have fled their homes, with more than 1 million sheltering in U.N. schools and struggling to find basic items including cooking gas and flour.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Eknath Shinde resigns, asked to act as caretaker chief minister
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday morning met Governor C P Radhakrishnan and tendered his resignation following the results of the assembly elections.
The governor asked Shinde to act as a caretaker chief minister till a new CM is sworn in.
Shinde visited the Raj Bhavan along with deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
The term of the Maharashtra assembly ends on November 26.
Despite the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP securing a massive victory, winning 230 seats in the 288-member assembly, consensus has eluded the ruling combine’s leaders so far on who should be the next CM.
