Israeli strikes kill 70 in Gaza despite Trump’s call to ‘immediately stop bombing’

TEL AVIV: At least 70 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Saturday, including seven children between the ages of two months and eight years old, Al Jazeera reported.

The strikes came after United States President Donald Trump urged Israel to “immediately stop bombing” Gaza after Hamas agreed to

Gaza City, which has been at the heart of Israel’s military campaign, saw the highest number of casualties.

As per Al Jazeera, health officials confirmed that 45 people lost their lives there. The Israeli strikes in recent weeks have affected more than one million Gazans, forcing them to vacate the area and move towards southern Gaza.

In the Tuffah neighbourhood, an air strike on a residential house killed 18 people and injured several others. Rescue workers said the blast damaged nearby buildings.

Israeli forces also carried out strikes on a displacement camp, al-Mawasi, in southern Gaza, where Israeli troops asked Palestinians to evacuate. Two children died in that attack, while at least eight others were wounded.

Meanwhile, Trump appreciated that Israel temporarily stopped the bombing to allow hostage release but warned Hamas not to delay or “all else all bets will be off”.

“I appreciate that Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in order to give the Hostage release and Peace deal a chance to be completed. Hamas must move quickly 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. Everyone will be treated fairly,” he said.

Later, he posted that Israel had already indicated an initial “withdrawal line.”

“When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal,” Trump wrote.

A White House official confirmed that Trump is sending Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Egypt to work out the details of the hostage release and prisoner exchange. Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said delegations from Hamas and Israel will also join the talks on Monday, Al Jazeera reported.

Hamas has signalled agreement to some parts of Trump’s plan, such as Israel’s pullout from Gaza and the exchange of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners for Israeli captives. However, the group has not clarified whether it will accept disarmament, which remains a central demand in the US proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking in Jerusalem, confirmed negotiators will be working on a release timeline for the remaining captives. He stressed that Hamas must be disarmed.

“That will be achieved either through Trump’s proposal or through Israeli military action,” he said, while noting that Israeli forces will continue their operations inside Gaza.

In response, Hamas accused Israel of continuing its “crimes” despite the US push for a truce.

“The Zionist occupation army continues to commit its horrific crimes and massacres against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip,” the group said, urging Arab and Islamic states to “take urgent action to protect and provide relief to our people, ” as per Al Jazeera. (ANI)