Israel launched some of its heaviest strikes in weeks across Gaza on Monday, killing at least 60 people. The attacks came just ahead of Israeli officials’ visit to Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a ceasefire deal. Despite diplomatic efforts, Israeli tanks rolled into Gaza City’s Zeitoun area and airstrikes hit homes and schools. Thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee again after new evacuation orders.
Eyewitnesses described the bombardment as relentless. A father from Gaza City said explosions never stopped and compared the attacks to earthquakes. A displaced woman in the ruins of a school called for dignity and basic rights. Health officials reported that among the dead were women, children, a journalist, and dozens more struck while seeking shelter or sitting in a beachfront café.
The Israeli military claimed it targeted Hamas sites in northern Gaza and said it tried to avoid civilian harm. However, critics and humanitarian groups noted widespread destruction and civilian deaths. More than 220 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the local journalist union.
Israel’s security cabinet is meeting to decide its next moves, even as Netanyahu’s aide arrives in the U.S. for talks. Meanwhile, Hamas demands a full withdrawal and end to war before agreeing to any truce. Israel insists Hamas must disarm first. Though both sides have received ceasefire proposals, no final deal is confirmed yet.
Since Hamas’ October 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis, over 56,000 Palestinians have died in retaliatory strikes. Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are now displaced. With international pressure mounting and humanitarian conditions worsening, calls for an immediate ceasefire and unhindered aid are growing louder from both Western allies and regional mediators.