DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed at least 59 people in Gaza on Saturday, health officials said, as international pressure mounted for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. Despite calls for restraint, Israeli leaders remain determined to continue their military campaign.
Strikes Hit Refugee Camps and Homes
At the Nuseirat refugee camp, two separate strikes killed nine members of the same family and, later, another 15 people, including women and children, according to doctors at al-Awda Hospital.
Elsewhere, five people were killed when a strike hit a tent for displaced families. Four others died in Gaza City’s Shati camp, while six Palestinians were reported killed by Israeli gunfire in southern and central Gaza.
Israel’s army said it was not aware of casualties in Nuseirat at the times reported.
Hospitals Fear Collapse as Fighting Nears
Medical staff said hospitals in Gaza are at breaking point. Shifa Hospital’s director reported tanks approaching the area, restricting access to 159 patients still inside.
Two clinics have been destroyed by strikes, two hospitals forced to shut, and others lack fuel, medicine, and equipment. Doctors Without Borders suspended operations in Gaza City, calling the situation unsafe as Israeli armor advanced.
Premature babies in incubators at Helou Hospital remain at risk, while many patients are too ill to move.
Netanyahu Defiant as Ceasefire Pressure Mounts
The calls for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal intensified after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly that Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas.
His remarks drew walkouts from delegates, highlighting Israel’s isolation. Families of hostages in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem pleaded with Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump to prioritize negotiations for the release of 48 captives still in Gaza.
“You were like the last of the lepers,” said Itzik Horn, whose son has been held in Gaza tunnels since 2023. “If you don’t bring a deal, you will forever be a leper.”
Trump-Netanyahu Meeting Seen as Pivotal
President Trump is set to meet Netanyahu on Monday, with pressure high to broker a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. Protesters in Israel urged Trump to put hostages first.
“Mr. President, please make the hostages your top priority,” said Doron Steinbrecher, freed earlier this year after 471 days in Gaza captivity.
On Friday, Trump said the U.S. was “close to a deal” that would “get the hostages back” and “end the war.” But Israel is pressing ahead with another major ground operation in Gaza City, where famine is spreading.
Civilians Struggle for Food and Water
Residents described worsening conditions as aid deliveries remain blocked. Prices for staples like rice and lentils have skyrocketed. Many displaced families line up for charity kitchens, only to return empty-handed when food runs out.
“Food is scarce and expensive, and water is not safe to drink,” said Amal al-Aas, who fled with her family to western Gaza City.
Death Toll Continues to Climb
Gaza’s Health Ministry said Israel’s campaign has killed more than 65,900 people and wounded over 167,000 since October 2023. Women and children make up nearly half the casualties.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
With Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal talks hanging in the balance, the pressure on both Israel and its allies continues to mount.
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