The air strikes reportedly killed hundreds of people as Israel unanimously intensified its bombings under its plan to “conquer” the enclave.
Gaza Civil Defense Agency said at least 50 people died overnight during an Israeli strike, and 14 people were reportedly killed the day before. The casualties have driven the total death toll in Palestinian territory to exceed 53,000 since Israel launched a violent attack on October 7, 2023.
In response, Hamas called on the international community to hold Israel to explain its so-called "barbaric escalation." The Israeli military has not commented on the strike yet.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated a commitment to work to escalate and pursue his goals to destroy Hamas, a Palestinian armed group that ruled Gaza.
That's because Netanyahu announced last week that if Hamas disagrees to reach a deal to free the rest of the captives, then U.S. President Donald Trump completed his tour of the Middle East.
Trump is about to end his four-day trip, which does not include a Friday visit to Israel or Palestine.
It was hoped that the trip would help meet the ceasefire agreement or aid to Gaza. The humanitarian crisis in the enclave is under construction and the territory has been blocked against Israel in the third month.
But Israeli officials last week suggested plans include “conquest” and full military occupation of the entire Gaza Strip and potentially drive the Palestinians out of the enclave – a suggestion by Trump.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the Israeli war against Gaza killed at least 53,010 Palestinians and injured 119,919 people. The government media office in the zone has updated its death to more than 61,700, saying thousands of other missing people in the rubble are considered dead. The war comes after the Israeli attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, about 1,200 of which were killed and about 250 were captured.
Since March 2, Israel has stopped entering Gaza with food, medicine and all other essentials, saying the lockdown is aimed at forcing Hamas to release the remaining captives.
But, senior Hamas official Basem Naim reiterated Thursday that the organization's position is that the entry of Gaza aid is a prerequisite for any talks with Israel.
"Access to food, water and medicine is a basic human right, not a subject of negotiation," he added.
The United States and Israel are preparing a plan that they say will allow NGOs to resume aid while putting supplies in Hamas' hands.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said it will start distributing aid this month. However, the United Nations and other aid organizations exclude participation in the initiative, saying they do not respect the impartiality, neutrality and independence of aid operations.
But, as Trump said during his trip to the region, the United States is clearly eager to "participate" in Gaza.
"We are looking at Gaza. We will be taken care of. A lot of people are hungry," the U.S. president said in a speech in the United Arab Emirates on Friday.
However, the day before, he reiterated his idea of getting the United States to take over Gaza and drive the Palestinians out of the enclave.
“My concept of Gaza is that I think it’s very good… to get the United States involved and make it a free zone,” he said, adding that he “prides himself on having the United States own it, accepting it, making it a free zone”.
The comments responded to a broadly condemned idea he raised in February to allow the United States to "take over" the destroyed territory and redevelop it into the "Riviera of the Middle East."
In response, Hamas official Nam said the territory was “not for sale.”
“Gaza is an integral part of Palestinian land,” he declared. “This is not real estate for sale on the open market.”