Israel Escalates Gaza Bombardment as Trump Wraps Up Middle East Tour

Hundreds more Palestinians have been reported killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, as Israel intensified its offensive during U.S. President Donald Trump’s tour of the Middle East. The escalation aligns with what Israeli officials described as a broader plan for the “conquest” of the enclave, as per Al Jazeera.

According to Gaza’s civil defence agency, at least 50 people were killed in overnight strikes, following the deaths of 143 others the previous day. The new casualties push the official Palestinian death toll past 53,000 since Israel launched its military campaign on October 7, 2023, in response to a deadly Hamas attack.

The Government Media Office in Gaza reports a significantly higher figure, claiming more than 61,700 dead, with thousands more believed to be buried under rubble. In total, over 119,000 Palestinians have been wounded, as the humanitarian crisis deepens amid an ongoing blockade.

Hamas denounced the bombardment as a “barbaric escalation,” calling on the international community to hold Israel accountable. The Israeli military has not issued a formal comment on the most recent strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed this week that the offensive will continue until Hamas is fully dismantled. He had previously warned that the campaign would intensify if Hamas did not agree to release the remaining hostages before Trump concluded his regional visit.

Trump’s four-day Middle East tour, which notably excluded stops in Israel or the Palestinian territories, concluded Friday. While some had hoped the visit could help facilitate a ceasefire or unlock humanitarian aid, no such breakthroughs materialized.

Israel has blocked the entry of food, medicine, and other essentials into Gaza since March 2, stating that the blockade and military pressure are meant to compel Hamas to release captives. However, senior Hamas official Basem Naim reiterated Thursday that aid access is a non-negotiable right.

“Access to food, water and medicine is a fundamental human right – not a subject for negotiation,” Naim said.

A joint U.S.-Israeli plan proposes resuming humanitarian aid through a non-governmental organization, while attempting to prevent supplies from reaching Hamas. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation claims it will begin distribution this month, though the United Nations and other aid agencies have rejected the plan, citing violations of neutrality and independence.

While speaking in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Trump suggested that the U.S. could play a direct role in Gaza’s future.

“We’re looking at Gaza. And we’re going to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving,” he said.

The day before, Trump floated controversial ideas about the U.S. “taking over” Gaza and transforming it into a “freedom zone.”

“I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good,” he said. “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.”

His remarks echoed a February proposal to redevelop Gaza into “the Riviera of the Middle East”—an idea widely condemned by Palestinians and international observers.

Responding to Trump’s latest comments, Hamas official Basem Naim firmly rejected the idea: “The territory is not for sale.”

Israel launched its military campaign following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and saw around 250 people taken hostage. Since then, the conflict has led to one of the deadliest and most destructive periods in Gaza’s history.