By Attia Naveed
At least 15 Palestinians died in an overnight Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza, local health officials confirmed on Friday. The strike hit a tent camp in Khan Younis around 2 a.m., targeting people already displaced by war. Families held funeral prayers later that day as grief spread across the community. A 13-year-old girl, Mayar Al Farr, cried over her brother鈥檚 death, calling for peace.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects Hamas to respond to a proposed 60-day ceasefire within 24 hours. Earlier this week, Trump claimed Israel had accepted the plan, which includes steps toward ending the conflict. Hamas said it is reviewing the proposal but has not confirmed its stance. The group has insisted in the past on a full and permanent end to the war.
In Tel Aviv, hostage families held a symbolic Shabbat protest outside the U.S. Embassy. They placed 50 empty chairs to represent loved ones still in captivity. Protesters wore shirts with hostages鈥 faces and called on Trump to 鈥渕ake the deal.鈥 They urged Israeli and U.S. leaders to secure the hostages鈥 release and push for peace.
Some members of Prime Minister Netanyahu鈥檚 coalition support a deal, while others remain opposed. Netanyahu has not publicly reacted to Trump鈥檚 latest proposal. He maintains that Hamas must disarm鈥攕omething the group has consistently refused. Tensions remain high as both sides weigh the offer.
Over the past two years, Gaza has suffered severe devastation due to Israel鈥檚 retaliatory strikes. The Hamas-led region now faces mass displacement, hunger, and collapse. According to health officials, over 57,000 Palestinians鈥攎ostly civilians鈥攈ave been killed since the war began. The world watches as a fragile hope for a ceasefire hangs in the balance.