Despite US President Donald Trump’s announcement that both Israel and Hamas had agreed to implement the first phase of a ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza on Wednesday night.
President Trump, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, declared that both sides had consented to the initial stage of his 20-point peace plan. “I am proud to announce that both Israel and Hamas have agreed to begin implementing the first phase of our peace plan,” Trump stated.
However, according to Al Jazeera correspondents in Gaza, Israeli warplanes carried out fresh airstrikes in the western part of Gaza City following Trump’s statement. One of the strikes reportedly hit a house in the Al-Shati refugee camp.
Israeli forces also detonated explosives near a vehicle close to residential buildings in the Sabra neighborhood, southern Gaza City. No casualties were immediately reported from the attacks.
Last month, Trump unveiled his 20-point peace plan for Gaza, which Hamas responded to with cautious optimism. Israel had already expressed its consent. Hamas also announced its readiness to release all remaining hostages, while Trump urged Israel to halt bombings in Gaza. Nonetheless, Israel has continued its air raids in defiance of the call.
Hamas launched a major attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,219 people, according to Israeli figures. A total of 251 individuals were taken hostage, of whom 47 remain in Gaza — 25 of them presumed dead.
Since that day, Israeli forces have waged continuous assaults on Gaza. The territory’s Health Ministry reports that at least 67,173 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes over the past two years, including 20,179 children.
