Deir Al-Balah/Barcelona, 4 Oct

Just hours after US President Donald Trump urged Israel to halt its bombing of Gaza following partial acceptance of his ceasefire plan by Hamas, Israeli strikes killed at least 20 Palestinians, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday.

While Israel’s military announced it was preparing to implement the first phase of Trump’s plan, it simultaneously warned that northern Gaza remains a “combat zone” and advised residents to move south. A senior official confirmed Israel has shifted to a defensive posture in the Strip, with no immediate troop withdrawal.

Despite the shift, the war’s toll continues to mount. Gaza’s Health Ministry updated its verified death toll to over 67,000 Palestinians, with women and children making up about half.

The humanitarian crisis has deepened, with much of Gaza’s population displaced and large areas rendered uninhabitable. UN officials reported families sheltering in hospital parking lots, unable to afford relocation.

Meanwhile, Hamas voiced concerns over Trump’s plan. Officials say they need more time to locate remains of hostages and are demanding decisions about Gaza’s governance be made by all Palestinian factions. Hamas also rejected the idea of foreign forces administering Gaza, calling such moves “unacceptable.”

On the international front, mass protests erupted across Europe. Tens of thousands marched in Barcelona, Madrid, Rome and Lisbon against the ongoing Israeli offensive.

The demonstrations intensified after Israeli forces intercepted a humanitarian aid flotilla that had departed from Barcelona, aiming to break the Gaza blockade. Among the 450 activists removed from the ships were over 40 Spaniards, including a former Barcelona mayor.

The war nears its second anniversary since Hamas’ 7 October, 2023, attack, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and triggered Israel’s devastating retaliation. Despite Trump’s proposal, a final ceasefire remains elusive.