Several mosques and houses were among the buildings hit by Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip after the Israel-Hamas cease-fire ended at 8 a.m. local time on Friday (August 8), according to Hamas officials.<br /><br />Israel renewed strikes soon after the 72-hour truce ended, saying that its actions were a response to cross-border rocket fire by militants in Gaza.<br /><br />Three bodies were found under the ruins of the Al-Qassam mosque in central Gaza, including that of senior Hamas official Moaaz Zaid, according to a Palestinian health official.<br /><br />The Hassan Al-Banna mosque in Gaza City was partially destroyed by an airstrike.<br /><br />The United Nations (UN) has condemned the resumption in violence in Gaza.<br /><br />The UN also reported that more than 1,900 Palestinians, mainly civilians, had been killed during more than four weeks of conflict.<br /><br />Gaza resident Mohammad Abu Al Laban told reporters: “If our demands aren’t met we’ll continue to support the resistance because there is nothing left to cry over in Palestine. We’ve lost our women, children, our homes destroyed.” <br /><br />Sixty-seven people have died on the Israeli side.<br /><br />Egyptian mediators, working to bring about a long-term truce, held talks with a Palestinian delegation on Friday (August 8) evening and are due to meet Israeli representatives later on Saturday (August 9).
