Dozens Killed in Gaza Despite Trump’s Call to Halt Bombing

GAZA: Dozens were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza on Saturday, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for Israel to halt its bombing. The attacks came amid ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire following a declaration by Hamas that it was prepared to release hostages under Trump’s peace plan to end the two-year-old conflict.

Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that Israel had agreed to an “initial withdrawal line” inside Gaza and said the ceasefire would take effect immediately once Hamas confirmed its acceptance. However, at least 36 people, including children, were killed in airstrikes across Gaza, with one strike on a house in the Tuffah neighborhood causing significant casualties and damage to nearby buildings.

Israel stated that it targeted a Hamas militant posing a threat to its forces and expressed regret for any harm caused to civilians, while Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of lying about reducing attacks on civilians and called the ongoing bombings “massacres.”

Earlier, Trump acknowledged Israel’s temporary halt in bombing and urged Hamas to quickly accept his plan, warning against delays. Hamas had expressed acceptance of key points in Trump’s 20-point proposal, including ending the war, Israel’s withdrawal, and the release of hostages, though some details remain unresolved, such as Hamas’s potential disarmament.

Trump later confirmed that Israel had agreed to the initial withdrawal line and stated that once Hamas agrees, the ceasefire, hostage exchange, and next phase of withdrawal would commence. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu outlined that the first stage requires Hamas to release hostages while Israeli forces continue to control key areas inside Gaza. He also warned that disarmament of Hamas and demilitarization of Gaza would follow, either politically or militarily.

Read more: Trump Says Hamas Ready for Peace, Urges Israel to Halt Gaza Bombing

Negotiations are set to take place in Egypt, where delegations from Israel and Hamas will meet. Trump has sent envoys to finalize details for the hostage release and a lasting peace agreement. Netanyahu hopes to announce the return of captives during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, despite Israeli military operations continuing deep inside Gaza.

Thousands rallied in Tel Aviv in support of a peace deal, while international leaders welcomed Hamas’s response and urged an end to the deadly conflict, the worst involving Israel since its founding in 1948. The Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad group also endorsed Hamas’s stance, potentially boosting hopes for peace.

Despite the positive signals, many Palestinians remain skeptical, fearing Netanyahu’s far-right government may undermine the deal. Inside Israel, political tensions persist between calls to end the war and demands from hardliners to continue military operations. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich condemned any halt to attacks as a “grave mistake.”

The conflict began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 251 hostages. Israel estimates that 48 hostages remain, with 20 confirmed alive. Since then, Israeli military operations have resulted in over 67,000 deaths in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to local health authorities.