Israel Defies Trump’s Call, Kills 50 People in Gaza

On October 4, 2025, Israeli forces killed more than 50 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier announcement that Israel had “temporarily suspended” its attacks.

Officials at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital told CNN that Israeli strikes hit the Al-Daraj neighborhood on the evening of October 4, killing 17 people, most of them children.

According to reports gathered from several hospitals in the enclave, a total of 54 people were killed in Gaza during the day, including 43 in Gaza City alone.

The attacks came just hours after the Hamas militant group informed President Trump that it had agreed to release all remaining Israeli hostages and was ready to engage in peace talks based on the plan proposed by the U.S. president.

That 20-point peace proposal includes a temporary ceasefire, the release of hostages and prisoners, disarmament of Hamas fighters, deployment of international peacekeeping forces in Gaza, establishment of an impartial interim administration, and reconstruction of the territory.

On the evening of October 4, President Trump posted on Truth Social, claiming that Israel had paused its military operations to facilitate the peace process and hostage release praising the country even as strikes continued.

He wrote:

“I commend Israel for temporarily halting attacks to allow the release of hostages and completion of the peace deal. Hamas must act quickly, or everything will collapse. I will not tolerate delays, even though many believe peace will come or that Gaza will once again become a problem. Let’s do it FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly!”

President Trump is expected to send two envoys to Egypt his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East advisor Steve Witkoff to take part in negotiations on the hostage release and broader peace plan.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver a national address outlining his government’s position on President Trump’s proposed Gaza peace initiative.