Israeli airstrikes killed at least 62 people in Gaza from late Friday through Saturday morning. The attacks came as efforts to broker a ceasefire gained fresh momentum. The humanitarian crisis in the region continues to worsen.
Strikes target civilians and shelters
Health officials reported that 12 people died near the Palestine Stadium in Gaza City. The area had been sheltering displaced families. Eight more people died in nearby apartments, according to staff at Shifa Hospital.
Additionally, a strike at midday killed 11 people on a street in eastern Gaza City. Their bodies were taken to Al-Ahli Hospital. In central Gaza, two people were killed at the entrance to the Bureij refugee camp, as confirmed by Al-Awda Hospital. Over 20 bodies were also taken to Nasser Hospital after separate strikes.
Fresh ceasefire efforts begin
At the same time, new diplomatic efforts are underway to reach a ceasefire. Qatar, the United States, and Egypt are leading talks with both Israel and Hamas.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told AFP, “We’re trying to use the momentum that was created by the ceasefire between Iran and Israel to restart the talks over Gaza.” He warned, “If we don’t utilise this window of opportunity and this momentum, it’s an opportunity lost amongst many in the near past.” Al-Ansari also serves as an adviser to Qatar’s prime minister.
Trump expects progress soon
US President Donald Trump also spoke about the situation. He told reporters on Friday, “We’re working on Gaza and trying to get it taken care of.” He added that a ceasefire agreement could happen within the next week.
Conflict continues despite peace hopes
Earlier ceasefire talks had collapsed in March when Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza. This renewed campaign worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Currently, around 50 hostages are still being held in Gaza. Fewer than half are believed to be alive. These hostages were among the 250 people taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. That attack triggered the ongoing 21-month-long war.
Toll of the war
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the conflict has killed over 56,000 Palestinians. The ministry does not separate civilian and militant deaths but says that more than half of those killed were women and children.
Pressure builds for a Gaza deal
Some hostage families hope that Trump’s role in securing the Iran-Israel ceasefire could lead to new pressure for a deal in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gained public support for his handling of the Iran conflict. This could give him more political room to move toward ending the war in Gaza—despite strong opposition from his far-right coalition partners.
Meanwhile, Hamas continues to say it is ready to release all remaining hostages if the war ends. Netanyahu, however, insists he will only stop the war once Hamas is completely disarmed and its leaders are removed from Gaza. Hamas has firmly rejected that demand.