Bombing Rages in Gaza Despite Trump’s Demand for a Ceasefire
US President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that Hamas needs to act swiftly on his proposal for resolving the conflict in Gaza, “or else all bets will be off. I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again. Let’s get this done, FAST,” Trump said in a post. Local health officials reported that dozens were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza on Saturday, despite a demand from U.S. President Donald Trump for Israel to cease bombing in light of Hamas’s declaration that it was prepared to release hostages under his plan to conclude the two-year-old war. At least 36 individuals lost their lives due to bombardments and airstrikes in the ravaged Palestinian enclave following Trump’s call for Israel to cease its attacks late on Friday.
Eighteen individuals lost their lives in various incidents, while 18 others, including children, were reported killed and several more injured in an Israeli strike on a residence in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, according to reports. The assault resulted in damage to multiple nearby structures. Israel stated that it had aimed at a Hamas militant who posed a threat to its troops in the region, and that reports of casualties were being assessed. “The IDF regrets any harm caused to uninvolved civilians and works to mitigate harm to uninvolved civilians as much as possible,” the Israel Defense Forces stated. Trump expressed his appreciation for Israel’s “temporarily stopped the bombing,” and he urged Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, to act swiftly on his plan “or else all bets will be off. I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again.” Let’s complete this promptly. “Everyone will be treated fairly!” Trump stated on his Truth Social. Hamas received a positive reaction from Trump on Friday after expressing its acceptance of specific key elements of his 20-point peace proposal, which included ending the war, Israel’s withdrawal, and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian captives.
However, the group has left certain questions unresolved, including its willingness to disarm, which is a crucial demand from Israel to conclude the conflict. On Saturday, a White House official in Washington stated that Trump was dispatching his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to Egypt to finalize the technical details of the hostage release and engage in discussions regarding a lasting peace deal. Egypt is set to welcome delegations from Israel and Hamas on Monday to engage in discussions regarding the expected exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, as stated by the country’s Foreign Ministry. Hamas’ response to the plan elicited a series of hopeful declarations from global leaders, who called for an end to the most lethal conflict involving Israel since its establishment in 1948 and advocated for the release of Israelis still detained in the enclave. Another potential enhancement to peace prospects emerged with a supportive statement from the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which, while smaller than Hamas, is regarded as more hardline. The group, which also holds hostages, on Saturday endorsed Hamas’ response, “a move that could help pave the way for the release of Israelis still held by both parties.” Palestinians seek a ‘ray of hope’ following the response from Hamas. The position of Hamas, along with the support from Islamic Jihad, could uplift the morale of Gazans, who have witnessed numerous ceasefire attempts collapse while Israeli strikes have relentlessly targeted the strip over the last two years, resulting in a humanitarian crisis and the displacement of millions. “May the suffering lift off the people of Gaza, the people of Gaza are among the oppressed of the earth, and any ray of hope for the oppressed people is a victory,” said Sharif al-Fakhouri.
Some Palestinians voiced concerns that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who leads Israel’s most far-right government to date, may eventually abandon any efforts to conclude the war. “What is important is that Netanyahu does not sabotage this, because now that Hamas agreed, Netanyahu will disagree, as he usually does,” said Jamal Shihada. GLOBAL CALL FOR AN END TO ‘HORRIFIC WAR’ Netanyahu’s office stated that Israel was preparing for “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan for the release of Israeli hostages in light of Hamas’ response. Shortly after, Israeli media reported that the country’s political leadership had directed the military to scale back offensive operations in Gaza. Trump has committed substantial political resources to initiatives aimed at concluding the conflict that has rendered U.S. ally Israel more isolated internationally. On Friday, Trump expressed his belief that Hamas had demonstrated it was “ready for a lasting PEACE,” placing the responsibility on Netanyahu’s government. The prime minister finds himself in a challenging position at home, facing increasing pressure from hostage families and a war-weary public to bring the conflict to a close, while simultaneously contending with hardline coalition members who are adamant that Israel’s military efforts in Gaza must continue without pause.
Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that ceasing attacks on Gaza would be a “grave mistake,” asserting that it would benefit Hamas’ “time-wasting.” Israel commenced its offensive on Gaza following the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 251, as reported by Israeli sources. Israel reports that 48 hostages are still in captivity, with 20 of them confirmed to be alive. According to health authorities, Israel’s campaign has resulted in the deaths of over 67,000 individuals in Gaza, the majority of whom are civilians. “It’s time to end this horrific war and bring every single hostage back home. We are for rebuilding and the rehabilitation,” said Efrat Machikawa.
