Hamas issues statement after 70 killed in Gaza since morning

Hamas condemned a wave of 'Israeli' airstrikes on northern Gaza that have killed at least 70 people since Wednesday morning, calling the attacks a “barbaric” escalation aimed at undermining ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

In a statement, Hamas accused 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately targeting civilians and intensifying military operations for political gain.

“Bombing inhabited homes and committing massacres against civilians is a fascist, barbaric act that will bring no form of victory to war criminal Netanyahu,” the group said.

According to local health authorities, 'Israeli' air raids since dawn Wednesday struck densely populated areas across the Gaza Strip, with the heaviest bombardments reported in the north. The attacks flattened residential buildings, killing dozens, including women and children.

Eyewitnesses described the overnight assault as one of the deadliest in recent weeks. Morgues at the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza were overwhelmed as bodies arrived throughout the night. Civil defense teams continued searching for survivors under the rubble of destroyed homes.

Hamas claimed the timing of the strikes was an attempt to derail efforts by international mediators working to secure a ceasefire and facilitate a captive exchange deal. The group said Netanyahu was “driven by vengeance” and accused him of escalating violence to serve domestic political interests.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that at least 51 people were killed in 'Israeli' airstrikes overnight, including 45 in the northern Gaza Strip alone. Later in the day, additional casualties were reported, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed to 70 as of Wednesday afternoon.

Among the latest victims were five civilians killed in separate strikes on a group of residents in Gaza City and a home in Khan Younis, according to medical sources.

The escalation comes during a regional tour by US President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday said that “the people of Gaza deserve a better future.” Trump is currently visiting Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Palestinian officials rejected reports in Israeli media suggesting a potential easing of the military campaign during Trump’s visit, calling such claims misleading. WAFA said Israeli forces launched “a series of airstrikes and fire belts” across Jabalia refugee camp and surrounding areas in northern Gaza, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties.

Hamas has called on Arab and Islamic countries, as well as the international community, to take immediate steps to stop the offensive and hold Israeli leaders accountable for what it described as “war crimes” against the civilian population in Gaza.