Israeli strikes hit Gaza on Wednesday as Muslims marked the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadhan and after US President Joe Biden labeled Israel's approach to the war a "mistake".
Palestinians gathered for morning prayers on the first day of the Eid al-Fitr holiday amid the ruins of Gaza, which has been devastated by more than six months of war since October 7.
Tens of thousands also flocked to east Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound where one worshipper, nurse Rawan Abd, said: "It's the saddest Eid ever... you could see the sadness on people's faces.
"Usually we come to Al-Aqsa to celebrate, this year we came just to support each other," the 32-year-old said at Islam's third holiest site. Israeli forces kept up combat operations and air strikes on Gaza a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed no let-up in the campaign to destroy Hamas and bring home the hostages.
Netanyahu insisted that "no force in the world" would stop Israeli troops from entering Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah which is packed with displaced Palestinians. His threat came amid ongoing talks in Cairo involving US, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators for a truce and hostage release deal. Biden, voicing his growing frustration with Netanyahu, issued some of his sternest criticism yet of the war, which has brought mass civilian casualties and widespread suffering.
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