At least 49 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, according to medical personnel, as the humanitarian situation in the region deteriorates and tentative signs of a possible ceasefire begin to emerge.
The airstrikes, which began late Friday and continued into Saturday morning, claimed the lives of 12 people near Gaza City’s Palestine Stadium, a location housing displaced civilians. Another eight were killed in apartment buildings, with their bodies taken to Shifa Hospital, health workers said. Over 20 more victims were brought to Nasser Hospital, officials reported.
This latest escalation comes amid comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested a ceasefire deal could be reached within a week. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said, “we’re working on Gaza and trying to get it taken care of.”
An anonymous source told the Associated Press that Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, is expected in Washington next week to discuss the Gaza ceasefire, Iran, and other pressing matters.
Negotiations have stalled and resumed multiple times since Israel ended the previous ceasefire in March, continuing its offensive and worsening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Around 50 hostages remain in the Strip, with fewer than half believed to be alive. These individuals were among approximately 250 people taken during Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the now 21-month-long conflict.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians, more than 56,000 Palestinians have been killed, over half of whom were women and children.
Families of hostages are cautiously hopeful that Trump’s recent role in mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Iran might help accelerate progress toward a deal in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, buoyed by domestic support for the Iran conflict, may feel more politically secure in pursuing an end to the war—despite opposition from his far-right coalition partners.
Hamas has stated it is willing to release all remaining hostages in return for a complete end to the war. Netanyahu, however, insists that the conflict will only cease when Hamas is disarmed and removed from Gaza—terms Hamas has rejected.
In the meantime, Gaza’s population is facing a dire food crisis. After over two months of an Israeli-imposed food blockade, only limited aid has been permitted since mid-May.
The United Nations’ attempts to distribute this aid have been hindered by armed looters and large crowds intercepting trucks. Civilians trying to access food at new aid distribution sites—managed by the American- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—have reportedly been injured by gunfire.
Eyewitnesses claim that Israeli forces have opened fire on people approaching the aid locations. The Israeli military says it is investigating incidents where civilians may have been harmed.
