United States (US) President, Donald Trump, who ended a Middle East tour on Friday with no apparent progress towards a new ceasefire as Israel steps up its military campaign, acknowledged Gaza's growing hunger crisis and the need for aid deliveries.
"We have to help also out the Palestinians. You know, a lot of people are starving in Gaza, so we have to look at both sides," he said. When asked if he backed Israel's war plans, Trump said he expected "good things" over the next month. Friday's air and artillery strikes were focused on the northern section of the tiny, crowded enclave, where dozens of people including women and children were killed overnight, said Gaza Health Ministry Spokesperson, Khalil al-Deqran.

Israel has intensified its bombardment and built up armoured forces along the border despite growing international pressure for it to resume ceasefire talks and end its blockade of Gaza, where warnings of famine are growing. Just before midnight on Friday, the Israeli military said that during the last day forces began launching extensive strikes and transferring forces to seize control over areas within the Gaza Strip.

It said the escalation was part of the initial stages of what it said was "Operation Gideon's Wagons" to expand the battle in the enclave "with the aim of achieving all the war's objectives, including the liberation of the kidnapped soldiers and the defeat of Hamas. Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu earlier said that Israel was planning an expanded, intensive offensive against Hamas as his security cabinet approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid.

An Israeli defence official said at the time that the operation would not be launched before Trump concluded his visit to the Middle East, which was expected to end on Friday. Israel's declared goal in Gaza is the elimination of Hamas, which attacked Israeli communities in 2023, killing around 1 200 people and seizing about 250 hostages.

Its military campaign has devastated the enclave, pushing nearly all inhabitants from their homes and killing more than 53 000 people, according to Gaza health authorities, while aid agencies say its blockade has caused a humanitarian crisis. Heavy strikes were reported on Friday in the northern town of Beit Lahiya and in the Jabalia refugee camp, where Palestinian emergency services said many bodies were still buried in the rubble.

--Reuters--