Israel strikes Gaza after Trump calls for end to bombardment; 57 more Palestinians killed
- Last updated: October 4, 2025 | 22:22
Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli bombardment had killed at least 57 people since dawn on Saturday, even after US President Donald Trump urged Israel to halt its attacks on the territory in response to a declaration by Hamas that it was ready to free hostages under his plan to end the war.
"The death toll from the ongoing Israeli bombardment since dawn today stands at 57, including 40 in Gaza City alone," Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the agency under Hamas authority, told AFP.
Bassal said the victims in Gaza City included 18 people who were killed in an Israeli strike targeting the home of the Abdul Aal family in the city's Al-Tuffa neighbourhood.
Mohammed Abu Salmiya, head of Gaza's main Al Shifa Hospital, had earlier told AFP that at least 39 people had been killed since dawn, including dozens in Gaza City.
"Since President Trump called on Israel to stop bombing Gaza, Israel has actually escalated its attacks," said Mahmud Al Ghazi, 39, a resident of Al-Rimal neighbourhood in Gaza City.
"Today, Israel bombed several homes full of civilians, like the Abdul Aal family home...The shelling continues with artillery and drones dropping bombs on civilians' homes and directly targeting people," he said.
"Who will stop Israel now? We need the negotiations to move faster to stop this genocide and the ongoing bloodshed," he added.
On Saturday, Trump said he appreciated that Israel had "temporarily stopped the bombing," and he urged Hamas to move quickly on his plan "or else all bets will be off."
"I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again. Let's get this done, FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly!" Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
Hamas had drawn a welcoming response from Trump on Friday by saying it accepted certain key parts of his 20-point peace proposal, including ending the war, Israel's withdrawal and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian captives.
UN rights chief Volker Turk on Saturday said Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan was a "vital opportunity" to stop bloodshed in the Palestinian territory "once and for all."
Smoke billowed over Gaza City on Saturday, yet for the first time in months, residents felt a ceasefire was within reach as they welcomed Donald Trump's call for Israel to stop bombing.
"Trump's announcement was very surprising to me, as he has always been biased toward Israel," said 24-year-old Jamila Al Sayyid, from Gaza City's Zeitun neighbourhood.
Despite Trump's appeal, she said "the planes did not stop" bombing, but still felt good about her decision not to flee from the territory's largest urban centre.
"The most important thing is that the ceasefire will take effect and the Israeli prisoners will be released, as they are a pretext for Israel to continue its occupation", she added, referring to the 47 hostages still held in Gaza, including 25 the military says are dead.
In Washington, a White House official said on Saturday that Trump was sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Egypt to finalise the technical details of the hostage release and discuss a lasting peace deal.
Egypt's state-affiliated television channel Al Qahera News said Palestinian and Israeli delegations would also be present for "indirect talks" on the Trump plan.
Hamas's response to the plan drew a chorus of optimistic statements by world leaders, who urged an end to the deadliest conflict involving Israel since its creation in 1948 and called for the release of Israelis still held in the enclave.
Another possible boost to peace hopes came with a supportive statement from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.
The group, which also holds hostages, on Saturday endorsed Hamas's response — a move that could help pave the way for the release of Israelis still held by both parties.
"May the suffering lift off the people of Gaza, the people of Gaza are among the oppressed of the earth, and any ray of hope for the oppressed people is a victory," said Sharif Al Fakhouri, resident of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron.
Amid the optimism several issues remain unresolved, such as whether Hamas will agree to disarm, one of Israel's top demands.
Some Palestinians expressed fear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads Israel's most far-right government ever, will ultimately withdraw from any plan to end the war.
"What is important is that Netanyahu does not sabotage this, because now that Hamas agreed, Netanyahu will disagree, as he usually does," said Jerusalem resident Jamal Shihada.
Netanyahu's office said Israel was preparing for "immediate implementation" of the first stage of Trump's Gaza plan for the release of Israeli hostages following Hamas's response.
Shortly after, Israeli media reported that the country's political echelon had instructed the military to reduce offensive activity in Gaza.
Agencies