Heavy bombardment on Gaza schools and homes highlights human cost while Trump pushes Hamas to accept US ceasefire deal
There was no respite for Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday as Israeli attacks killed at least 17 people, striking schools, homes, and refugee camps amid one of the most devastating phases of the two-year war.
Bombardment on Schools, Homes, and Refugee Camps
In Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood, two missiles hit al-Falah School, which had been converted into a shelter for hundreds of displaced families. The strike left several dead and many more critically injured, including members of the Palestinian Civil Defence who rushed to rescue survivors.
At al-Ahli Arab Hospital, medical staff reported that six people were killed and others injured in the attack. Another strike on a home in the Derj neighbourhood killed seven more, while further air raids on the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps left at least three dead.
The relentless bombardment has razed much of Gaza City, killing civilians daily, flattening residential blocks, and forcing tens of thousands to flee south — often under attack while escaping. Inside the besieged al-Shifa Hospital, 11 unidentified bodies were buried in a mass grave as the facility came under continued Israeli fire. Patients in need of kidney dialysis now face life-threatening conditions as bombardments rage around the complex.
Trump’s Ultimatum on Gaza Ceasefire
Amid the escalating crisis, US President Donald Trump has given Hamas “three or four days” to respond to a new ceasefire proposal, warning that rejection would mean a “very sad end.”
The 20-point plan, endorsed by Israel and several Arab states, calls for:
- An immediate ceasefire
- The exchange of captives and prisoners
- A staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza
- The disarmament of Hamas
- Deployment of an international stabilization force
The proposal also bars Hamas from governing Gaza but offers its members amnesty if they renounce violence. Those unwilling to stay would be granted safe passage abroad.
According to Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamas is currently reviewing the plan, though it remains unclear whether the group will accept terms viewed by some Palestinians as a “document of surrender.”
A Mounting Humanitarian Catastrophe
The Palestinian death toll has now risen above 66,000, with Gaza enduring what aid groups describe as one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. With homes, schools, and hospitals under fire, the fate of civilians remains tied to whether diplomacy succeeds — or the war escalates even further.