Gaza City, Gaza — Israel launched fresh airstrikes on Gaza on Saturday, killing at least six people, local authorities reported, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent call for an immediate cessation of bombing and a push for peace talks with Hamas. Trump’s plea came after a new 20-point peace plan was presented, which included terms for Hamas to release hostages and agree to conditions for ending the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple locations across the Gaza Strip, including an attack on a house in Gaza City that killed four people and another strike in Khan Younis in the south, which claimed two more lives, according to medical workers and local authorities.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed early on Saturday that Israel was preparing to implement the first phase of Trump’s peace plan, which includes the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. This announcement came shortly after reports indicating Israel’s intention to scale down its military offensive in Gaza, as directed by the political leadership.
The Israeli military’s chief of staff issued a statement confirming preparations for the first phase of the plan but did not comment on whether military activity in Gaza would be reduced. This comes after a tense period of negotiations and warnings from President Trump, who gave Hamas a deadline to accept the terms by Sunday, threatening severe consequences if they failed to comply.
Trump, positioning himself as the key broker for peace, has invested significant political capital into efforts to bring an end to the conflict, which has raged for over two years. The war has claimed tens of thousands of lives, primarily civilians, and isolated Israel diplomatically on the world stage.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he believed Hamas was now ready for “lasting peace,” urging Netanyahu to act quickly. “Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!” he wrote, emphasizing that the peace process extended beyond Gaza and was integral to achieving long-sought peace in the broader Middle East.
Netanyahu’s office responded by affirming that Israel would continue to work with President Trump and his team to end the conflict, ensuring that Israel’s security concerns and the peace plan’s principles aligned. However, domestically, the prime minister faces mounting pressure, both from families of the hostages and a war-weary public, to negotiate a swift resolution.
Despite the growing calls for peace, Netanyahu’s government is also under pressure from hardline members of his coalition who insist that Israel must not relent in its military campaign in Gaza. This tension reflects the difficult balancing act the prime minister faces as he navigates between diplomatic efforts and maintaining support from his political base.
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