Gaza City: At least 60 Palestinians have been killed in a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip between Friday night and Saturday morning, intensifying the region’s already dire humanitarian crisis, reported the Al Jazeera.
According to local health authorities, multiple densely populated areas were targeted in the strikes. One of the deadliest attacks occurred near the Palestine Stadium in Gaza City, where 12 displaced civilians seeking shelter were killed. Nearby residential buildings were also struck, leaving eight more dead, whose bodies were later brought to Gaza’s Shifa Hospital.
In Khan Younis, more than 20 bodies were transported to Nasser Hospital following heavy bombardment. Meanwhile, in eastern Gaza City, a midday strike killed 11 civilians, whose remains were received at Al-Ahli Hospital.
The escalation comes at a time when diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire are reportedly gaining momentum. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Friday, suggesting that a truce could be brokered “within the next week.” Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, is scheduled to visit Washington soon for high-level discussions focusing on Gaza, Iran, and broader regional security concerns.
The conflict, which began following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has continued for over 21 months. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that more than 56,000 Palestinians have been killed during this period—over half of them women and children.
The war has pushed Gaza to the edge of famine. Humanitarian aid has been severely restricted since mid-May, and even UN aid convoys are struggling to reach civilians due to looting, insecurity, and growing desperation.
Meanwhile, the families of hostages still held by Hamas hope that Trump’s involvement in the ceasefire process—particularly after his prior mediations in the region—could help secure a breakthrough. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under mounting pressure from far-right members of his government, who oppose any agreement that does not guarantee the complete dismantling of Hamas.
