Gaza strike kills six, exposing fragility in Trump’s peace initiative
Israeli strike kills six in Gaza hours after Trump’s ceasefire call
Just hours after US President Donald Trump urged Israel to halt its bombardment of Gaza, six people were killed in Israeli strikes, Reuters reported.
According to medical officials and local authorities, four people died when a house in Gaza City was hit, while two more were killed in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The deaths came soon after Trump called for an end to airstrikes, following Hamas’ conditional acceptance of key parts of his newly unveiled 20-point peace proposal.
Trump, who presented the plan last month after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, outlined measures aimed at ending the Gaza war and securing the release of all hostages within 72 hours. On Friday, Hamas said it agreed to some provisions—including surrendering power and freeing hostages—but added that other points required further consultations among Palestinian groups.
In response, Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel was preparing for the “immediate implementation” of the plan’s first stage, focused on releasing Israeli hostages. The Israeli military chief of staff also instructed forces to ready themselves for that initial phase, while local media reported that political leaders had directed the army to scale down offensive operations in Gaza.
While there was hope that hostages could be freed ahead of Tuesday’s second anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, the latest strike—killing six—casts uncertainty over the fragile peace process.
Israel launched its Gaza campaign after Hamas’ assault two years ago, which left nearly 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. Of those, 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 confirmed alive.
