Fresh Israeli strikes kill six in Gaza hours after Trump said 'stop bombing'
Just hours after US President Donald Trump urged Israel to halt its bombing campaign and announced that Hamas was ready for peace, Israel carried out fresh airstrikes in Gaza, killing six people, said reports.
Israel carried out new airstrikes in Gaza early Saturday, killing at least six people, local authorities said, according to media reports, despite US President Donald Trump’s public call for an immediate end to the bombardment. One strike reportedly hit a house in Gaza City, killing four people, while another in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, killed two others. The attacks came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed Israel was preparing to implement the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan, which focuses on the release of Israeli hostages.
Israel prepares for ‘immediate implementation’ of Trump’s plan
According to Israeli media, political leaders have instructed the military to reduce offensive operations in the enclave as part of the peace process framework proposed by President Trump. The Israeli military chief of staff said that forces were “advancing readiness” for the plan’s first phase but did not clarify whether ongoing military activity would decrease. Netanyahu’s office stated that Israel “will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision.”
Trump declares Hamas ‘ready for peace’
Trump, positioning himself as the central mediator in the Middle East conflict, announced Friday that Hamas appeared ready for a lasting peace. He urged Israel to stop the bombing immediately to enable the safe release of hostages.“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “This is not about Gaza alone; this is about long-sought peace in the Middle East.”
Global support for renewed peace efforts
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed President Trump’s initiative, describing it as a “decisive step forward” in peace efforts. “We welcome President Trump’s leadership as peace efforts in Gaza make decisive progress. Indications of the release of hostages mark a significant step forward,” Modi wrote on X.
Inside Israel, pressure is building on Prime Minister Netanyahu from families of hostages and a war-weary public to pursue negotiations and end the war. Hostage families have urged the government to “immediately order negotiations for the return of all hostages.” However, Netanyahu remains under competing pressure from far-right coalition partners who demand the offensive continue.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began after the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas-led militants that killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Israel says 48 hostages remain in captivity, including 20 confirmed alive. Meanwhile, Gaza’s health authorities report that more than 66,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed during Israel’s prolonged assault.