Israel continued pounding Gaza City despite US President Donald Trump’s appeal to halt the bombing. Dozens of overnight air strikes and artillery shelling claimed at least six lives and left scores more injured. “It was a very violent night, during which the [Israeli army] carried out dozens of air strikes and artillery shelling on Gaza City and other areas in the Strip, despite President Trump’s call to halt the bombing,” Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP, adding that 20 homes were destroyed. Gaza City’s Baptist hospital reported casualties from a strike on a home in the Tuffah neighbourhood, including four dead and several wounded, while Nasser hospital in Khan Younis said two children were killed and eight others wounded in a drone strike on a camp for displaced Gazans. The escalation came just hours after Hamas offered a partial acceptance of Trump’s ultimatum to end the nearly two-year war. The militant group said it would release all hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, as well as surrender governing power in the Gaza Strip, in line with Trump’s plan. However, it did not clarify whether it would lay down arms — a key demand of the proposal unveiled on Monday. Despite the response, Trump struck an optimistic note. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.” In a video message, Trump added it was a “very special day” and promised, “Everybody will be treated fairly.”
