An Israeli overnight air-strike on a tent camp west of Khan Younis killed at least 15 displaced Palestinians, Gaza’s Nasser Hospital said on Friday, hours before U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Hamas has 24 hours to answer what he called Washington’s “final proposal” for a 60-day ceasefire.
Mourners performed funeral prayers for the dead at midday. “The ceasefire may come, but my brother is gone,” cried 13-year-old Mayar al-Farr, whose sibling Mahmoud was among the victims. Another mourner, Adlar Mouamar, pleaded: “We don’t want food – just end the bloodshed.”
Israel’s military gave no immediate comment on the attack.
Trump announced on Tuesday that Israel had accepted the framework for a two-month pause during which negotiations would aim to end the 22-month war. Hamas, which insists any agreement must guarantee a permanent halt to hostilities, said only that it is “studying” the offer.
In Tel Aviv, relatives of the roughly 50 hostages still held in Gaza staged an Independence-Day vigil outside the U.S. embassy annexe, setting a Sabbath dinner table with empty chairs. Banners quoted Trump’s online plea: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”
“Only you can close this ‘beautiful deal’,” said Gideon Rosenberg, whose employee Avinatan Or was kidnapped from the Nova music festival on 7 Oct 2023.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who meets Trump in Washington on Monday, has not commented publicly on the plan. Hard-right partners in his coalition oppose any pact that leaves Hamas armed, while centrist ministers back negotiations.
The war began when Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and seized 251 hostages. Israel’s campaign has since devastated the Gaza Strip, displacing most of its 2 million residents. Gaza’s health ministry says more than 57,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed.