At least 27 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since dawn, according to medical sources.
Hospital officials told Al Jazeera that five of the victims were shot near an aid distribution point north of Rafah in southern Gaza.
Earlier, at least 15 people were killed when Israeli airstrikes targeted tents sheltering displaced residents in the al-Mawasi area, close to Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that it would probably be known within 24 hours how Hamas will respond to a proposed ceasefire deal with Israel in Gaza, Reuters reports
Trump stated earlier this week that Israel has agreed to the terms of a 60-day ceasefire. He urged the Palestinian group Hamas to accept the deal promptly, warning that the situation could deteriorate further if the offer is rejected.
“We’ll probably know in 24 hours what Hamas decides,” Trump told reporters, without giving further details.
The announcement comes ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. The leaders are expected to discuss the truce proposal and ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.
60-day ceasefire proposal
Hamas said on Wednesday it was studying what US President Donald Trump called a “final” ceasefire proposal for Gaza but that Israel must pull out of the enclave.
In a statement, the Palestinian group said it was studying new ceasefire offers received from mediators Egypt and Qatar but that it aimed to reach an agreement that would ensure an end to the war and an Israeli pullout from Gaza.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu called for the elimination of Hamas in his first public remarks since Trump’s announcement.
“There will not be a Hamas. There will not be a ‘Hamastan’. We’re not going back to that. It’s over,” Netanyahu told a meeting hosted by the Trans-Israel pipeline.
The two sides’ statements reiterated long-held positions, giving no clues as to whether or how a compromise agreement could be reached.
Israel’s war on Gaza
The Israeli army has launched a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing at least 57,012 Palestinians, including 134,592 children. More than 111,588 people have been injured, and over 14,222 are missing and presumed dead.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
The proposed deal includes a pause in hostilities, increased humanitarian aid, and negotiations on the release of captives.
