At least 32 people, most of them women and children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, local health authorities reported on Sunday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to the United States to meet President Donald Trump for discussions about the ongoing conflict.
Israel, which ended its ceasefire with Hamas last month, has captured territory in an attempt to compel the militant group into agreeing to a new truce and the release of remaining hostages. The country has also prevented the entry of food, fuel, and other critical supplies into Gaza for more than a month, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the enclave, which heavily depends on external aid.
On Sunday evening, the Israeli military instructed residents of several areas in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, to evacuate, shortly after around 10 projectiles were launched from the territory—marking the largest attack from Gaza since Israel resumed military operations.
The military said about five of those projectiles were intercepted. Hamas’ armed wing claimed responsibility. A rocket hit the city of Ashkelon, and debris fell in other locations, police said. According to the Magen David Adom emergency service, one person sustained minor injuries. The military later announced it had targeted and hit a rocket launcher in Gaza.
Israeli airstrikes overnight into Sunday hit a tent and a home in Khan Younis, a city in the south, killing five men, five women, and five children, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the victims’ bodies.
Among the deceased was a female journalist. “My daughter was innocent. She had no part in any of this — she was passionate about journalism and loved it deeply,” her mother, Amal Kaskeen, said.
A toddler’s body occupied one side of an emergency stretcher.
“My cousin was killed, and Trump wants the Gaza issue resolved quickly — that’s clear from what happened this morning,” said Mohammad Abdel-Hadi, a relative of one of the victims.
In the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, Israeli shelling claimed at least four lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. An Associated Press journalist at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah reported that seven bodies — including those of a child and three women — had arrived there.
Meanwhile, a strike in Gaza City hit civilians queuing outside a bakery, killing at least six people, including three children, according to the civil defence service operated by Gaza’s Hamas-led administration.
Netanyahu Meets Trump Amid Protests Against the War
In Jabaliya, dozens of Palestinians demonstrated against the war, with social media footage showing them marching and chanting anti-Hamas slogans. While such protests are uncommon, they have taken place in recent weeks.
Within Israel, resentment is growing over the renewed conflict and its implications for the hostages still held in Gaza. Hostage families, recently released individuals, and their supporters have urged President Trump to work towards ending the hostilities.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump on Monday, their second encounter since Trump began his new term in January. The prime minister stated that their agenda would include discussions on the conflict and the newly imposed 17% tariff on Israel — part of a broader U.S. global trade policy.
“There are many leaders waiting for similar discussions regarding their economies. It reflects the strong personal ties and the critical connection between the U.S. and Israel during this difficult time,” Netanyahu said during the conclusion of his visit to Hungary.
The United States, alongside Egypt and Qatar, is one of the key mediators in truce negotiations and supported Israel’s decision to resume the conflict last month.