New Delhi: Palestinian officials in Gaza reported 178 deaths on Friday as Israel resumed bombing the strip after a seven-day truce that ended on Friday (December 1).

Israel's military said it struck more than 200 targets during the day as fighting resumed minutes after the ceasefire ended.

Flares were seen above Khan Younis in southern Gaza as Israel's military said its ground, air, and naval forces had struck 'terror targets' in the Palestinian territory.

The Israel-Hamas truce started on November 24, was extended twice. During the truce, fighting was temporarily halted, allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. Simultaneously, Hamas released captives, and Israel reciprocated by releasing Palestinian prisoners, Al Jazeera reported.

Qatar, which had led the truce negotiations, said it was still pushing to re-establish a cease-fire.

Syria's Defense Ministry and state media also reported overnight Israeli airstrikes near Damascus on Saturday, albeit not reporting any casualties or injuries.

"At approximately 1:35 a.m. today (Friday, 2235 GMT/UTC), the Israeli enemy carried out an air assualt from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights, targeting some points near the city of Damascus," the Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Decrease in aid deliveries to Gaza

The United States said Israel would allow some humanitarian assistance to flow again into Gaza. Trucks carrying aid through Egypt's Rafah border crossing were prevented from entering Gaza when hostilities with Hamas resumed on Friday morning.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby, however, said the US asked Israel to allow aid to resume adding that the number of deliveries would likely be reduced. "We want to see it restored at the level it had risen to during the pause," he said.

With inputs from DW. 

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