Daijiworld Media Network – Gaza

Gaza, Oct 4: Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza on Saturday, killing six people, hours after US President Donald Trump called for an end to the bombing and announced that Hamas had agreed to release hostages and accept parts of a US peace plan.

Local authorities reported that four people died in Gaza City and two in Khan Younis in the south. Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal described the night as “very violent,” with dozens of airstrikes and artillery shelling targeting Gaza City and other areas, despite Trump’s call to halt attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for the “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s plan, focusing on the release of Israeli hostages. Later reports indicated that political leaders instructed the military to scale down offensive operations, though the Israeli chief of staff did not mention any reduction in activity.

Hamas has been responding to Trump’s 20-point proposal, which seeks to end the two-year-long conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Trump emphasized that the ceasefire is essential for safe release of hostages and long-term peace in the region.

Meanwhile, families of hostages and the wider public have pressured Netanyahu to end the war, even as far-right coalition members call for continuing the military campaign.

The conflict began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are alive. Gaza health authorities report that over 66,000 people have died, mostly civilians, amid widespread destruction and famine conditions due to restricted aid.