Israel's bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 250 people since Thursday, the Gaza health ministry confirmed on Saturday. The strikes, which targeted northern Gaza, have drawn widespread international condemnation, with the United Nations deeming the casualty figures credible.
Gaza health ministry spokesman Khalil al-Deqran said dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed in overnight strikes, as Israeli forces continued their intensive campaign to eliminate Hamas.
Israel has intensified its bombardment and bolstered blockades to maintain the siege and restrict the flow of aid into Gaza, where an international hunger monitor has warned of a looming famine.
US President Donald Trump, wrapping up his Middle East tour, expressed support for humanitarian aid to Palestinians. “A lot of people are starving in Gaza, so we have to look at both sides,” he said on Friday, adding, “I think a lot of good things are going to happen over the next month.”
Trump, however, sidestepped a question on whether he supported Israel's plan to extend its offensive, stating, “We have to help out the Palestinians. You know, a lot of people are starving in Gaza, so we have to look at both sides.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on May 5, signalled a broader offensive against Hamas, with his security cabinet approving plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip.
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Israel's declared objective is the elimination of Hamas, which launched a devastating attack on Israeli communities on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostages.
The Israeli military claims to have destroyed nearly 90 per cent of the occupied enclave, displacing tens of thousands overnight and killing over 53,000 people since the start of the conflict.
Heavy airstrikes on Friday were reported in the northern town of Beit Lahiya and the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp, where many bodies are believed to remain trapped under the rubble, Palestinian emergency services said.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing the families of some of the 58 remaining hostages in Gaza, warned that Israel risks missing a “historic opportunity” to secure their release as Trump concluded his Middle East visit.
“We are in dramatic hours that will determine the future of our loved ones, the future of Israeli society, and the future of the Middle East,” the group said in a statement.
The escalation has drawn sharp rebuke from the international community, with many leaders warning that the ongoing siege risks triggering a broader regional conflict.
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