Israeli tanks and bombs hit residential districts in Gaza city overnight into Wednesday, killing dozens of Palestinians, as Hamas was considering its response to US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.
At least 23 people, including 19 in Gaza city, were killed in Israeli strikes and artillery fire across the Gaza Strip since midnight on Wednesday, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
More than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed and 168,500 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 2023. The Israeli army began its offensive after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel and killed 1,200 people, taking 251 hostage.
Mr Trump unveiled his comprehensive Gaza peace plan on Monday during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House. The US leader said the 20-point proposal could “bring an end to the death and destruction that we've seen for so many years, decades, even centuries”.
As soon as the plan is accepted by Israel and Hamas, the war will end, hostages will be released within 72 hours and humanitarian aid will be allowed into the besieged strip, the White House said.
The proposal also sets longer-term goals for the future of Gaza and Hamas. It stipulates that the group can have no role “in any form” of governance in Gaza and all its military infrastructure would be decommissioned or destroyed. The strip would be governed by a transitional, technocratic committee consisting of Palestinian and international experts. Oversight and supervision of the governing body would be conducted by an international transitional body chaired by Mr Trump, with other members including British former prime minister Tony Blair.
The plan also includes a “Trump economic development plan” to rebuild the enclave.
Mr Trump has said he is giving Hamas “three to four days” to respond to his peace plan, or he would allow Israel “to do what they have to do”.
Sources close to mediators told The National that Hamas is unlikely to reject the US plan as it finds itself in a difficult position after several Arab countries, including Qatar and Egypt, endorsed the peace proposal.
While Mr Netanyahu has already accepted the road map, the Israeli army is pressing ahead with its offensive on Gaza city.
On Saturday, Gaza authorities accused the Israeli army of killing about 2,000 people in areas it had designated as safe and “humanitarian” after forcing them to leave Gaza city.
The Gaza media office said the army had misled people by claiming central and southern areas, including Al Mawasi, were safe – while continuing to strike there.
Gaza residents have cautiously embraced the peace plan, although many are divided over some of its provisions. After almost two years of fierce conflict, many see the proposal as the only viable path to end the bloodshed, but also fear the risk of increased foreign influence over their lives.
Ameen Al Ghazi, 45, a father of four currently displaced near Gaza Port, voiced weary optimism about the proposal.
“Trump’s plan, for us in Gaza, is seen as a perfect opportunity to end the war,” he told The National. “Of course, it’s not everything we want, but at least the plan would stop the war and rid us of Hamas’s rule.
“All we want now is for the war to end, nothing more.”
A flotilla bound for Gaza with aid for the war-battered Palestinian territory said on Wednesday it would continue its course despite “intimidation tactics” by the Israeli army. The Global Sumud Flotilla consists of more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 people, among them parliamentarians, lawyers and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
A video post on the flotilla's Instagram page said that an Israeli military vessel approached its boats, carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” and damaging its communication systems before departing.
