Israeli strikes kill at least 20 people in Gaza as Trump wraps up his Middle East visit

DEIR EL-BALAH – Israeli strikes killed astatine slightest 20 radical successful Gaza connected Friday morning, arsenic U.S. President Donald Trump wraps up his Middle East visit.

An Associated Press writer counted the bodies astatine the Indonesian Hospital successful bluish Gaza, wherever they were brought. Survivors said galore radical were inactive nether the rubble.

The wide attacks crossed bluish Gaza travel arsenic Trump finishes his sojourn to Gulf states but not Israel.

There had been wide anticipation that Trump’s determination sojourn could usher successful a ceasefire woody oregon renewal of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. An Israeli blockade of the territory is present successful its 3rd month.

The Israeli subject had nary contiguous remark connected the strikes.

The strikes lasted hours into Friday greeting sending radical fleeing from the Jabaliya exile campy and the municipality of Beit Lahiya and followed days of akin attacks that killed much than 130 people, according to Gaza’s wellness ministry.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed earlier successful the week to propulsion up with a promised escalation of unit successful Israel’s warfare successful the Gaza Strip to prosecute his purpose of destroying the Hamas militant group, which governs Gaza.

In comments released by Netanyahu’s bureau Tuesday, the premier curate said Israeli forces were days distant from entering Gaza “with large spot to implicit the ngo ... It means destroying Hamas.”

It was unclear if Friday’s bombardment was the commencement of the operation.

The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 radical successful an Oct. 7, 2023, intrusion into confederate Israel. Israel’s retaliatory violative has killed much than 53,000 Palestinians, galore of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not accidental however galore were combatants. Almost 3,000 person been killed since Israel broke a ceasefire connected March 18, the ministry said.

Hamas inactive holds 58 of the astir 250 hostages it took during its Oct. 7 onslaught connected Israel, with 23 believed to inactive beryllium alive, though Israeli authorities person expressed interest for the presumption of 3 of those.

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