114 Killed As Israel Ramps Up Gaza Violence Amid Trump's Middle East Visit

At least 114 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip, health officials and rescuers say, per BBC. The strikes have intensified ahead of a planned expansion of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza, with the Israeli military saying it targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in southern Gaza.

In Khan Younis, 56 people, including women and children, were killed when homes and tents sheltering displaced families were bombed overnight.

The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported deadly strikes in the northern town of Jabalia, including an attack on a health clinic and prayer hall that killed 13 people.

This attack comes amid US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East. In Qatar, on the third day of his visit, he said, “I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good: make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved and make it just a freedom zone. I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone.”

Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal to make Gaza a “freedom zone” under US control, saying, “Gaza is an integral part of Palestinian land – it is not real estate for sale on the open market. We remain firmly committed to our land and our national cause, and we are prepared to make every sacrifice to preserve our homeland and secure our people’s future.”

Although it was expected that Trump’s visit to the region will cause a temporary halt in the hostilities in Gaza, the bombardment over the last 48 hours have raised levels of violence in Gaza.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with hospitals struggling to treat the wounded due to a lack of beds and resources. The streets of Khan Younis were filled with funeral processions and grieving families, following what residents described as the deadliest set of air strikes in the city since Israel resumed its offensive almost two months ago.

One man described the mortuary at Nasser hospital as “filled beyond capacity,” with several bodies placed in the corridor before burial. Doctors were forced to treat wounded people on stretchers, benches, and the floor due to the shortage of beds. “Among those killed today were 36 children… Entire families have been wiped from the civil registry,” he added, highlighting the devastating impact of the conflict on civilians.