Israeli Strikes in Gaza Leave 62 Dead as Netanyahu Issues Final Warning to Hamas

Gaza is facing another day of heavy violence as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 62 Palestinians within the past 24 hours, according to local medical sources.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is giving Hamas a final deadline to release Israeli hostages, in coordination with the United States. The Israeli security cabinet is expected to meet on Monday to decide the next steps in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military leadership expressed little optimism about reaching a new deal with Hamas. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned that the fighting in Gaza “will continue relentlessly” unless the hostages are freed.

Medical officials in Gaza said eight people waiting for aid near the Zikim area, northwest of the strip, were shot dead by Israeli forces. In Khan Younis, the Israeli army reportedly demolished residential buildings and detonated booby-trapped robots, causing massive explosions.

The violence also reached humanitarian workers. A staff member of the Palestinian Red Crescent was killed, and three others were injured, when Israeli strikes hit the organization’s office in Khan Younis, sparking a fire in the building’s first floor.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said its rescue teams struggled to reach the site due to ongoing shelling. The organization condemned the attack, calling the targeting of humanitarian facilities and medical staff a violation of international humanitarian law.