20 killed as Israel strikes Gaza ignoring Trump’s call for restraint

Israel has launched a new wave of airstrikes and artillery bombardments across the Gaza Strip, killing at least 20 people since Saturday morning, October 4, – including civilians seeking humanitarian aid – just days after former US President Donald Trump publicly urged Israel to halt military operations.

The attacks, which violate Trump’s recent appeal for de-escalation, targeted multiple areas across Gaza, including zones previously designated by Israel as “safe.” 

According to the Gaza Civil Defense Organisation, strikes hit Al-Mawasi, Nuseirat refugee camp, Tufah, and western Gaza, with several victims being women and children.

In one particularly devastating incident, two children were killed and eight others injured when an Israeli strike hit a tent in Al-Mawasi—an area Israel had officially declared a humanitarian safe zone for displaced civilians. A separate drone strike in western Gaza killed one and wounded several others, while air raids in Nuseirat and Tufah claimed at least five lives, including a teenage girl.

Witnesses also reported that Israeli forces stationed near the Netzarim corridor opened fire on Palestinians attempting to return to northern Gaza. An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed that northern Gaza remains an active combat zone and that civilians are barred from re-entering the area—a stance that has drawn sharp criticism from humanitarian agencies.

The renewed violence comes just days after Hamas expressed conditional acceptance of a ceasefire framework proposed by Donald Trump, which called for: An immediate ceasefire; release of hostages within 72 hours; disarmament of Hamas; and phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

However, before the proposal could gain traction, Israel resumed large-scale military operations, effectively undermining the initiative.

While Trump’s statement carried no official policy weight—given his status as a former president and current presidential candidate—his intervention highlighted growing international frustration over the ongoing conflict. Analysts note that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government appears unwilling to halt operations, even in the face of mounting diplomatic pressure.

The latest escalation has intensified fears of a prolonged humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where over 2.3 million people remain trapped amid widespread destruction, food shortages, and collapsing medical infrastructure.