Dozens Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza Amid Ceasefire Efforts
Gaza, The Gulf Observer: Dozens of people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on Saturday, local health authorities reported, despite calls from US President Donald Trump urging Israel to halt its bombardment after Hamas expressed willingness to release hostages under his proposed plan to end the two-year conflict.
With ceasefire talks scheduled to begin in Egypt next week, President Trump stated on his Truth Social platform that Israel had agreed to an “initial withdrawal line” inside Gaza, adding that “when Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective.”
Since late Friday, at least 36 people have been killed in the ongoing bombardments and airstrikes across the Palestinian enclave. Eighteen fatalities resulted from sporadic incidents, while another 18, including children, were killed and several others injured when an Israeli strike hit a house in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City. The attack also damaged multiple nearby buildings, according to medics.
The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted a Hamas militant who posed a threat to its troops and said reports of civilian casualties were under review. In a statement, it expressed regret for any harm caused to uninvolved civilians and emphasized efforts to minimize such harm.
Hamas condemned the attacks, stating that “the continuation of the occupation’s bombing and massacres exposes Netanyahu’s lies about reducing military operations against civilians,” directly criticizing the Israeli prime minister.
The violence comes as international pressure mounts for a ceasefire and diplomatic efforts intensify to halt further civilian casualties in the densely populated Gaza Strip.
