News - World: US President Donald Trump "fully supports" Israel’s renewed genocidal campaign in Gaza, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said.   

"President Trump fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions they have taken in recent days," Leavitt said during a press briefing on Thursday, referring to Israeli occupation forces. 

Leavitt's comments came two days after Israeli airstrikes targeted densely populated civilian areas in Gaza on Tuesday morning, with the death toll rising to over 970, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. 

Gaza’s civil defense agency also reported that more than 190 children were killed in the latest attacks.

Leavitt also cited Trump's previous threats against Palestinians, warning that they would face "hell to pay."

On Wednesday, Israeli Minister of Military Affairs Israel Katz echoed similar rhetoric, declaring in a video statement that Tuesday's attacks were “only the first step” and that harsher measures would follow. 

He also reiterated calls for the "evacuation" of Palestinians, citing Trump's early February remarks advocating for the US to take over Gaza and remove its population.

"Take the advice of the US president," Katz said, adding that Palestinians face two choices, "relocate to other parts of the world" or endure "destruction and total devastation."

Israel resumed its air campaign early Tuesday with a series of deadly strikes, breaking terms of the ceasefire that took effect on January 19 between the Gaza-based resistance movement Hamas and the Israeli regime. 

In response, the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement launched a barrage of rockets from southern Gaza toward Tel Aviv.  

Hamas stated that it had targeted the city "deep inside the occupied territories with a barrage of M90 rockets" in retaliation for Israel’s airstrikes.

Source: Press TV