Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday killed at least 64 people, according to local hospitals, as U.S. President Donald Trump concluded a Middle East tour that excluded Israel and failed to deliver any hope for a ceasefire in the war-ravaged enclave.
Health officials reported that 48 bodies were taken to the Indonesian Hospital and another 16 to Nasser Hospital following overnight strikes that hit areas near Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.
The renewed wave of bombardments coincided with Trump’s departure from the Gulf region. Many had hoped his regional visit might lead to a ceasefire or a resumption of humanitarian aid, but those expectations went unmet. Meanwhile, Gaza remains under an Israeli blockade that has now stretched into its third month.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes, which continued for hours and triggered panic and displacement in the Jabaliya refugee camp and the town of Beit Lahiya. These latest attacks follow days of intense shelling that, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, have killed over 130 people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier pledged a major escalation in military operations aimed at defeating Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. In remarks released Tuesday, Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces were preparing to enter Gaza “with great strength” to “complete the mission of destroying Hamas.”
It remains unclear whether Friday’s bombardment marks the start of that operation.
54 killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on Southern Gaza’s Khan Younis
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said cabinet ministers were meeting Friday to evaluate ceasefire talks taking place in Qatar and to determine the next course of action.
Meanwhile, families of hostages held by Hamas said they woke Friday with “heavy hearts” amid reports of intensified Israeli strikes. In a statement, they urged Netanyahu to work with President Trump to reach a deal for the hostages’ release.
“Missing this historic opportunity to bring the hostages home would be a failure remembered in infamy,” said the statement, issued by a forum supporting hostage families.
The war began after Hamas-led militants launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people. In response, Israel began a large-scale offensive in Gaza that has since killed over 53,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths. Around 3,000 people have been killed since Israel resumed operations on March 18 following a brief ceasefire.
Hamas still holds 58 of the approximately 250 hostages taken on October 7. Israeli authorities believe 23 of those are still alive, although they have raised concerns about the fate of at least three.
Israel’s blockade on Gaza has cut off access to essential supplies like food, fuel, and medicine, deepening the humanitarian crisis. The Israeli government insists that aid will not be allowed in until a mechanism is in place that ensures its control over distribution, aimed at pressuring Hamas to release the hostages.
Earlier this week, a new U.S.-backed humanitarian group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, announced it would begin aid delivery operations before the end of May, following agreements with Israeli officials. The group includes U.S. military veterans, former aid coordinators, and security personnel.
However, several humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations, criticized the initiative, saying it does not meet international humanitarian standards and will not be able to adequately address the needs of Palestinians in Gaza. They have opted not to participate.