As Trump urges a halt to bombing and touts Hamas “ready for peace,” Israel strikes Gaza while preparing for hostage-release talks.
Israel carried out targeted strikes in Gaza on Saturday, hours after US President Donald Trump declared Hamas “ready for peace” and urged Jerusalem to prepare for the first stage of his Gaza peace framework.
Local Gaza authorities reported six fatalities from two strikes — one on a house in Gaza City and another in Khan Younis. The strikes followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirming that Israel was preparing for the “immediate implementation” of Trump’s plan, which hinges on the release of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas terrorists.
Israeli media reported that political leaders have instructed the IDF to scale down offensive operations as hostage-release negotiations advance. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said the military was “advancing readiness” for Trump’s plan, though he stopped short of confirming an operational slowdown.
Trump, who has cast himself as the only leader capable of brokering peace in Gaza, wrote on Truth Social: “Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly! This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long-sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
Netanyahu’s office responded affirmatively: Israel will work “in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with Israel’s principles, which align with President Trump’s vision.”
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly backed Trump’s role, praising the US president’s leadership and calling indications of hostage releases “a significant step forward.”
At home, Netanyahu faces intense pressure: families of hostages are demanding swift negotiations, while far-right coalition partners push for continued military action. The balancing act comes nearly a year after the October 7 Hamas massacre, in which 1,200 Israelis were slaughtered and 251 kidnapped. Israel says 48 hostages remain — 20 alive, the rest presumed dead.
For Israel, the path ahead is fraught: honor Trump’s ultimatum, free the hostages, and reduce operations — but without allowing Hamas to regroup or evade accountability for its atrocities. The Jewish state remains caught between international calls for restraint and its fundamental duty to ensure security for its people.
