Gaza’s civil defence agency reported on Saturday that Israel carried out dozens of strikes on Gaza City overnight, hours after US President Donald Trump urged an immediate halt to the bombardment in light of Hamas’s conditional acceptance of a ceasefire plan.
Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defence, described the night as “very violent”, saying Israeli air raids and artillery fire struck multiple parts of Gaza City and surrounding areas. “Despite President Trump’s call to halt the bombing, the Israeli army launched dozens of attacks that left widespread destruction,” he said. According to Bassal, at least 20 residential homes were destroyed, and emergency teams were unable to reach all casualties due to the “ongoing bombardment and the presence of tanks”.
Medical facilities across Gaza reported mounting casualties from the strikes. Gaza City’s Baptist Hospital said it had received victims from a strike in the Tuffah neighbourhood, where four people were killed and several others wounded when a home was hit. In southern Gaza, Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis confirmed that two children were killed and eight others injured after an Israeli drone strike targeted a tent sheltering displaced families.
The Israeli military, when contacted by AFP, said it was “checking” reports of the overnight bombardments but did not provide further details.
The escalation comes just days after President Trump unveiled his proposed “Gaza Peace Plan”, which calls for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages within 72 hours, Hamas’s disarmament, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from the territory. The plan was publicly endorsed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hamas, in its response on Friday, said it was ready to release hostages in accordance with the plan but stressed the need for further negotiations. The group also demanded guarantees on the future governance of Gaza, insisting that any new administration must be led by Palestinian technocrats rather than external actors.
Despite the diplomatic opening, the situation on the ground remains dire, with Gaza’s civil defence warning that continued strikes are worsening the humanitarian crisis and making rescue efforts nearly impossible.
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