Israeli airstrikes kill 70 in Gaza despite US call for immediate halt to bombing

At least 70 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Saturday, including seven children between the ages of two months and eight years old.

The strikes came after United States President Donald Trump urged Israel to "immediately stop bombing" Gaza after Hamas agreed to Gaza City, which has been at the heart of Israel's military campaign, saw the highest number of casualties.

Health officials confirmed that 45 people lost their lives there. The Israeli strikes in recent weeks have affected more than one million Gazans, forcing them to vacate the area and move towards southern Gaza. In the Tuffah neighbourhood, an air strike on a residential house killed 18 people and injured several others. Rescue workers said the blast damaged nearby buildings.

Israeli forces also carried out strikes on a displacement camp, al-Mawasi, in southern Gaza, where Israeli troops asked Palestinians to evacuate. Two children died in that attack, while at least eight others were wounded.

Meanwhile, Trump appreciated that Israel temporarily stopped the bombing to allow hostage release but warned Hamas not to delay or "all else all bets will be off".

"I appreciate that Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in order to give the Hostage release and Peace deal a chance to be completed. Hamas must move quickly or else all bets will be off. I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again. Let's get this done, FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly," he said. Later, he posted that Israel had already indicated an initial "withdrawal line."

"When Hamas confirms, the ceasefire will be immediately effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal," Trump wrote.

A White House official confirmed that Trump is sending Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Egypt to work out the details of the hostage release and prisoner exchange. Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said delegations from Hamas and Israel will also join the talks on Monday, Al Jazeera reported.

Hamas has signalled agreement to some parts of Trump's plan, such as Israel's pullout from Gaza and the exchange of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners for Israeli captives. However, the group has not clarified whether it will accept disarmament, which remains a central demand in the US proposal.