Gaza Herald — Israeli forces unleashed a brutal wave of airstrikes and heavy artillery fire across Gaza City, ignoring U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent demand that Israel stop its bombardment. What was framed as a moment of potential de-escalation after Hamas signaled a willingness to respond positively has instead been met with intensified bloodshed, underscoring once again that Israel cannot be trusted to honor any commitment.
Major Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense, described the assault as “insane, merciless bombing.” Residents reported nonstop artillery fire combined with aerial bombardment, as well as the detonation of booby-trapped vehicles by
Israeli forces in multiple neighborhoods. The relentless strikes have triggered another wave of mass civilian displacement.
Witnesses confirmed Israeli ground units penetrated northwest Gaza late Friday, advancing along al-Shifa and al-Nasr streets. Before withdrawing northward, Israeli forces detonated three explosive-laden vehicles and raked the area with continuous gunfire.
Palestinian media sources documented the demolition of residential buildings across Gaza City, part of Israel’s systematic destruction campaign. Hospitals in the besieged enclave reported that at least 63 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in a single night, including 38 in Gaza City alone. Entire neighborhoods al-Nasr, al-Zaytoun, Sheikh Radwan, al-Sabra, and Tel al-Hawa were pounded from the air.
In central Gaza, drone strikes killed six Palestinians and injured 20 others when an Israeli UAV targeted a family home, according to medical staff at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
Humanitarian Appeals Ignored
The Gaza Municipality issued an urgent appeal to the international community and humanitarian organizations, warning that nearly half a million civilians, primarily children, women, and the elderly, face catastrophic conditions in Gaza City. They are enduring severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical care under Israel’s escalating genocide.
Despite calls for restraint, the reality on the ground is that Israel’s massacres continue unchecked. Trump’s statements, Hamas’s signals, and international appeals have all been brushed asid,e replaced only with more bombs, more funerals, and a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
