Breaking: Dozens killed in Gaza despite Trump's call for Israel to halt bombing - (Reuters)

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♾Breaking: Dozens killed in Gaza despite Trump's call for Israel to halt bombing - (Reuters)

Dozens were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza on Saturday, local health officials said, despite a demand from U.S. President Donald Trump for Israel to stop bombing in response to a declaration by Hamas that it was ready to free hostages under his plan to end the two-year-old war.

At least 36 people were killed in bombardments and airstrikes in the devastated Palestinian enclave since Trump demanded Israel halt its attacks late on Friday.

Eighteen people died in sporadic incidents, while 18 people, including children, were killed and several others wounded in an Israeli strike on a house in the Tuffah neighbourhood in Gaza City, medics said. The attack damaged several buildings nearby.

Israel said it had targeted a Hamas militant who had posed a threat to its troops in the area, and that reports of casualties were under review.
"The IDF regrets any harm caused to uninvolved civilians and works to mitigate harm to uninvolved civilians as much as possible," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

♾TRUMP URGES HAMAS TO MOVE FAST ON HIS GAZA PLAN

On Saturday, Trump said he appreciated that Israel had "temporarily stopped the bombing," and he urged Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, to move quickly on his plan "or else all bets will be off."

"I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again. Let's get this done, FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly!" Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
Hamas had drawn a welcoming response from Trump on Friday by saying it accepted certain key parts of his 20-point peace proposal, including ending the war, Israel's withdrawal, and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian captives.

But the group has left some questions unanswered, such as whether it would be willing to disarm, a key demand from Israel to end the war.
In Washington, a White House official said on Saturday that Trump was sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Egypt to finalize the technical details of the hostage release and discuss a lasting peace deal.

Egypt will also host delegations from Israel and Hamas on Monday to discuss the anticipated exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Hamas' response to the plan drew a chorus of optimistic statements by world leaders, who urged an end to the deadliest conflict involving Israel since its creation in 1948 and called for the release of Israelis still held in the enclave.

Another possible boost to peace hopes came with a supportive statement from the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which is smaller than Hamas but seen as more hardline.

The group, which also holds hostages, on Saturday endorsed Hamas' response – a move that could help pave the way for the release of Israelis still held by both parties.

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Israel said it had targeted a Hamas militant who had posed a threat to its troops in the area, and that reports of casualties were under review.

[EmTeam]

Tragic and heartbreaking. Civilians always pay the highest price in these conflicts.