According to local health officials, at least 54 Palestinians, including four children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Saturday. The health ministry reported 26 deaths in the northern part of the territory, where rescue teams were digging bodies out of rubble in Jabalia.
The airstrikes took place at the same time as the Arab League summit in Baghdad, where leaders denounced the violence and called for international action.
Hamas and Israel resumed indirect talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar. One Hamas official, Taher al-Nono, reported the discussions were proceeding with no preconditions, and the group was “eager to assist mediators” while noting that no formal proposals have yet been made.
U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up his four-day Gulf tour without securing a ceasefire, but he did acknowledge the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. His trip was focused on economic deals and regional partnerships, not mediation.
The humanitarian crisis on the ground in Gaza is dire. Aid agencies are sounding the alarm on deteriorating access, collapsing infrastructure, and imminent famine. Civilians are left to suffer from the effects of conflict, with Gaza's Health Ministry recording over 52,800 deaths of Palestinians since October 2023.
International organizations urge all parties to show restraint as humanitarian law violations have occurred on both sides. Diplomatic efforts have stalled, while families who have been displaced continue to live in conditions of extreme shortages of food, drinking water, and access to basic health care.