Gaza death toll hits at least 300 in just two days after horror Israel attacks
At least 300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in 48 hours - almost 100 dying overnight from Israeli attacks even as ceasefire proposals are being thrashed out. Airstrikes and shootings killed 94 Palestinians after nightfall on Wednesday, including 45 who were attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid, local officials said.
They were killed while outside sites being used as US-backed and controversial aid stations, leading to claims they have been 'militarised' by Amnesty International. Amnesty said in a report released on Thursday: " Israel has continued to use starvation of civilians as a weapon of war against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip and to deliberately impose conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction as part of its ongoing genocide.'
Dozens of people were killed in airstrikes that pounded the Strip Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including 15 killed in strikes on tents in the sprawling Muwasi zone, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering. A separate strike on a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people also killed 15 people.
Gaza's Health Ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has passed 57,000 since the war began on October 7, 2023. The toll includes 223 people who had been missing but have now been declared dead. War in the Palestinian Strip has raged now for 21 months - and yet still Hamas fired two rockets at Sderot in Israel earlier today.
Even as violence escalated a US-backed ceasefire proposal for a 60 day pause in fighting is being considered by Hamas, having been agreed upon by Israel. Sources told the Daily Mirror it will likely involve 10 of the remaining 20 hostages who are alive in Gaza being released in exchange for a large number of freed Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas is thought to be prepared to agree to the deal - having been persuaded that during the 60 days ceasefire negotiations in earnest to end the war will also take place. However some sources believe that outcome is unlikely and Hamas h as insisted war must end without it handing over its weapons and going into exile.
Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. Hamas' response emphasised its demand that the war end, raising questions about whether the latest offer could materialise into an actual pause in fighting.
The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages. The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting. One of the few industries in Gaza, fishing, has been destroyed with boats blasted by repeated bombing raids.
More than 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. And the war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands of people hungry. And there is increasing alarm over fears of mass famine across the densely-packed community.
And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced near daily demonstrations in cities like Tel Aviv as locals demanded he end the war so the hostages can be released.
It is believed only 20 of the remaining Israeli hostages are still alive somewhere within the Gaza Strip, probably hidden in underground passages.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Inside Donald and Melania's festive Fourth of July weekend plans filled with family, fireworks and a surprise
Flags, fireworks and a ferris wheel. Children splashing and shouting in the swimming pool. A giant inflatable slide. Barbecue smells in the air. Red, white and blue cupcakes for dessert. This America at its most nostalgic and it's where President Donald Trump will celebrate the Fourth of July weekend, his private golf club in New Jersey. He'll start the day at the White House. He and Melania Trump will host a picnic for military members in the afternoon and then watch the fireworks from the White House. And, as a surprise for the soldiers, the White House has arranged a military flyover of F-12, F-35s and one B2 bomber, the same type of plane that conducted the nuclear strikes in Iran. But then they'll head to Bedminster, landing there Friday evening. They'll spend the weekend at their private cottage on the property - a location special to both of them as Trump acquired the property when they were a couple. Trump's Bedminster National Golf Club sits on 500 acres in the New Jersey countryside. This is horse country. There are rolling green hills, dirt roads, and quaint cottages. But, for Donald Trump, it's a haven filled with cheering supporters and golf. Much, much golf. In addition to the tee time and the holiday festivities, the president will get some family time. Bedminster is where the Trump clan camps out in the hot summer months, staying at private cottages and driving their personalized golf carts. Trump's golf club all out for the holidays, as shown in online photos of previous Memorial Day and July 4th parties: the giant swimming pool is open for splashing and a massive American flag decorates the barn that sits behind it. A ferris wheel known as 'The Wonder Wheel' spins and lights up the night sky. Massive tents on the law have an American feast: roasted meat, patriotic cupcakes, and there are fire pits at night to roast marshmallows. Kids can go down the giant inflatable slide or run under the red, white, and blue balloon arch. There is a dress code: Men are required to wear shirts with collars and sleeves, slacks or mid length shorts must be no shorter than two inches above the knee. Hats must be forward facing. Cargo shorts/pants are not permitted. Women can wear dresses, skirts, slacks, or shorts with the same two inch rule. For President Trump, Marine One will fly him directly to the property and sit him down outside the clubhouse, where supporters can cheer and capture the moment on their cell phones. There are two golf courses he can play on. Golf carts are the preferred methods of transportation - the president drives his own with Secret Service agents following him. The property is important to Donald and Melania as Trump bought it when they were a couple. The Trumps spend the summers there with Barron. They have a cottage on the property where Melania would dine with Barron and her parents while Trump glad-handed in the clubhouse, noted Mary Jordan in her book 'The Art of Her Deal.' Amalija Knavs - when she was alive - would cook dinner for the foursome, who would speak in Slovenia to one another. And, it was Bedminster that Melania insisted Trump be brought after an assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. Melania wasn't at the campaign rally. But she spoke to Trump when he was in the hospital and she argued repeatedly with the head of Trump's Secret Service detail, Sean Curran, to bring him to Bedminster. She won, Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf reveal in their forthcoming book '2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America.' The Washington Post published early excerpts. Dubbed the 'Summer White House,' Trump's Bedminster Trump National Golf Club is a haven for the entire family, who stay in private 'cottages' on the property. Jared and Ivanka have their own cottage, near the president's and first lady's. There are other guest houses for the remaining Trump children to use, making a family compound on the property. The president expanded his cottage by 500 square feet a few years ago after getting approval to add a second-floor balcony and a porch. It also has a large turret and picture windows. The Secret Service added a red brick wall around it for security reasons. Ivanka and Jared also expanded their cottage to add a basement and extra bedrooms to accommodate their growing family. Their home now has an expanded master bedroom, bath and dressing room, two new bedrooms (for a total of five), a study and a ground floor veranda. The couple married on the property in 2009. The club is open for membership. The initiation fee runs $125,000, the Wall Street Journal reported. Members can stay on the property, renting rooms or one of the smaller cottages. It's a popular wedding venue with a large ballroom for the reception. There's a converted barn and old stable that make great backdrops for photos. In 2014, the Trumps received approval to build a family cemetery at the club. It's where Ivana Trump is buried. The original proposal for the cemetery plans included a mausoleum with 10 plots and a 19ft tall stone obelisk. Trump bought the property from a developer in 2002. The golf course was being built when he purchased it. He turned it into a private country club. The course has been home to two LIV Golf Tournaments. Previously called Lamington Farm, it had once been owned by John DeLorean, who created the winged-door DeLorean sports car of 'Back to the Future' fame.
Telegraph
29 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Trump needs to act now. Putin won't stop
President Donald Trump has had it with Vladimir Putin. After a nearly one-hour phone call with his Russian counterpart, Trump expressed disappointment with Putin's obstinate continuation of the Ukraine War and admitted: 'I didn't make any progress with him at all.' The Kremlin rushed to calm the waters and claimed that Russia was still interested in peace negotiations with Ukraine. Nonetheless, Putin's aide Yury Ushakov still emphasised the contrast between Trump's push for a swift ceasefire in Ukraine and the Kremlin's desire to eliminate the root causes of the Ukraine War. Russia's latest actions suggest that Trump's frustrations are warranted. During the early hours of Friday morning, Russian forces pummelled Ukraine with 550 Shahed drones and ballistic missiles. This attack was Russia's largest aerial assault of the war, and broke the record set earlier this week of 537 drones and missiles. Even though Russia has not taken much-feared apocalyptic steps like using tactical nuclear weapons or triggering a meltdown in the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, it is steadily escalating its war against Ukrainian civilians. There are also alarming indicators that Russia's aggression is likely to worsen in the weeks and months ahead. Ukrainian electronic warfare specialist Sergey Beskrestnov warned that Russia has established component supply chains and personnel networks to rapidly increase production of Shahed drones. Beskrestnov warned that these measures could soon lead to Russia launching aerial attacks with 800 drones on Ukrainian cities. Russia has combined these aerial assaults with the more intense use of prohibited military technologies and the steady expansion of Ukraine's frontlines. Dutch and German intelligence assessments reveal that Russia is expanding its use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian soldiers. What is especially concerning is the use of drones with choking agents to drive Ukrainian soldiers out of trenches and shoot them. While Russia remains primarily focused on securing offensive gains in Donetsk, it is trying to stretch Ukraine's military capabilities wherever possible. Earlier this week, the Kremlin claimed that it established full control over the Donbas region of Luhansk. It has also reportedly amassed 50,000 troops to attack the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy and claimed control over its first village in the east-central Ukrainian industrial heartland of Dnipropetrovsk. Russia's multi-pronged offensive reflects the resilience of its war economy and support from its external backers. Even though Russian minister of economic development Maxim Reshetnikov warned of an imminent recession at last month's St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Russia can still afford its $144 billion military budget. Salary cuts have not led to insubordination within the ranks of Russia's weapons manufacturers or to massive declines in military enlistment. North Korea's impending deployment of tens of thousands of new forces to Ukraine and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's warnings about the consequences of a Russian defeat suggest that Putin's allies are staying put. The same cannot be said about Ukraine's most important backer: the United States. Due to growing concerns about munitions shortages in the US army, under secretary of defence for policy Elbridge Colby just halted some key precision missile and air defence shipments to Ukraine. Colby's decision stunned many senior US officials and reportedly occurred without the blessing of national security advisor and secretary of state Marco Rubio. In a further blow to Kyiv, America is wavering on Germany's plan to purchase two Patriot systems and hundreds of missiles from the US for Ukraine. German journalist Julian Ropcke warned that American-German negotiations on Patriot deliveries might come to a complete halt. This means that Kyiv's rapidly dwindling missile stocks might not be replenished and Russian attacks on Ukraine's decision-making centres could inflict lethal harm. It also poses an existential threat to the port of Odesa and its critical economic infrastructure for Black Sea grain exports. Trump's anger with Putin's pursuit of war at all costs is welcome news for Ukrainians, but they need to be backed by actions. The Americans must now channel those frustrations into providing Ukraine with the weapons it needs to defend its cities and repel Russia's offensive advances.
Reuters
34 minutes ago
- Reuters
Israeli military kills 15 in Gaza as Trump waits for Hamas response to ceasefire proposal
TEL AVIV/CAIRO, July 4 (Reuters) - At least 15 Palestinians were killed overnight in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, according to local health officials, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected Hamas to respond to his "final proposal" for a ceasefire in Gaza in the next 24 hours. Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an airstrike on a tent encampment west of the city around 2 a.m., killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight. "The ceasefire will come, and I have lost my brother? There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother," said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was among those killed. Trump earlier said it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has accepted a ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group and Israel. On Tuesday, the president announced that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties would work towards ending the war. Hamas, which has previously declared it would only agree to a deal for a permanent end to the war, has said it was studying the proposal, but given no public indication whether it would accept or reject it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is yet to comment on Trump's ceasefire announcement. While some members of his right-wing coalition oppose a deal, others have indicated their support. Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group has so far refused to discuss. In Tel Aviv, families and friends of hostages held in Gaza were among demonstrators who gathered outside a U.S. Embassy building on U.S. Independence Day, calling on Trump to secure a deal for all of the captives. Demonstrators set up a symbolic Shabbat dinner table, placing 50 empty chairs to represent those who are still held in Gaza. Banners hung nearby displaying a post by Trump from his Truth Social platform that read, "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!" The Sabbath, or Shabbat, observed from Friday evening to Saturday nightfall, is often marked by Jewish families with a traditional Friday night dinner. "Only you can make the deal. We want one beautiful deal. One beautiful hostage deal," said Gideon Rosenberg, 48, from Tel Aviv. Rosenberg was wearing a shirt with the image of hostage Avinatan Or, one of his employees who was abducted by Palestinian militants from the Nova musical festival on October 7, 2023. He is among the 20 hostages who are believed to be alive after more than 600 days of captivity. Ruby Chen, 55, the father of 19-year-old American-Israeli Itay, who is believed to have been killed after being taken captive, urged Netanyahu to return from his meeting with Trump in Washington on Monday with a deal that brings back all hostages. "Let this United States Independence Day mark the beginning of a lasting peace..., one that secures the sacred value of human life and one that bestows dignity to the deceased hostages by ensuring their return to proper burial,' he said, also appealing to Trump. Itay Chen, also a German national, was serving as an Israeli soldier when Hamas carried out its surprise attack on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking another 251 hostage. Israel's retaliatory war against Hamas has devastated Gaza, which the militant group has ruled for almost two decades but now only controls in parts, displacing most of the population of more than 2 million and triggering widespread hunger. More than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in nearly two years of fighting, most of them civilians, according to local health officials.
