Israel defies Trump call, escalates deadly Gaza strikes

rki.news
Sources Anadolu Agency

GAZA CITY, Palestine / ANKARA — Israeli air and artillery attacks killed at least 60 Palestinians on Saturday, including several children, in strikes across Gaza, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for an immediate halt to the bombardment.
Trump had urged Israel on Friday to “stop bombing Gaza immediately” after Hamas signaled readiness to release Israeli captives under his peace proposal, which he described as “a path to lasting peace.”
Witnesses and medics reported that strikes in Gaza City’s al-Tuffah neighborhood killed six members of one family, while 17 more civilians, including seven children, were killed in nearby residential areas. Additional casualties were reported in Khan Younis and central Gaza, where artillery and airstrikes left entire neighborhoods in ruins.
Israeli forces also deployed remote-controlled demolition devices in parts of Gaza City, destroying residential blocks in Sabra, Rimal, and Beach Camp. Although tanks briefly pulled back from al-Jalaa Street, drones continued firing at movement.
In Khan Younis, at least 19 deaths were recorded, including 11 transferred to Nasser Hospital. Shelling intensified in northern areas of the city, with armored vehicles targeting both northern and central zones.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office received directives to halt the occupation of Gaza City and shift to defensive measures. However, evacuation orders remain in place, and the army warned residents that northern Gaza “remains a dangerous combat zone.”
Since October 2023, Israeli bombardment has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, with the UN warning Gaza is becoming uninhabitable.