At least 81 Palestinians were killed and more than 400 injured in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza in the 24 hours leading up to midday Saturday, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, as heavy bombardment hit areas sheltering displaced civilians.

In one of the deadliest incidents, a strike near the Palestine Stadium in Gaza City—being used to house displaced families—killed at least 11 people, including children, hospital staff and eyewitnesses told reporters. Verified footage by the BBC showed desperate civilians digging through sand and debris with their hands and shovels to retrieve bodies buried under collapsed tents.

The Israeli military said it had targeted “a suspicious individual who posed a threat to IDF troops” but claimed to be unaware of other casualties.

Ahmed Qishawi, who was present during the stadium blast, described scenes of devastation. “This area was packed with tents – now the tents are under the sand. We spent hours digging with our bare hands,” he said. “There are no wanted people here, nor any terrorists as they claim… only civilians and children.”

Elsewhere in Gaza, a strike on an apartment block and a tent in the al-Mawasi area killed at least 14 people, including three children and their parents who were reportedly asleep at the time. Their grandmother, Suad Abu Teima, questioned the targeting: “What did these children do to them? What is their fault?”

Later on Saturday, another airstrike hit the Tuffah neighbourhood near Jaffa School, where hundreds of displaced Gazans had taken shelter. According to the Palestinian health ministry, the strike killed at least eight people, five of them children. One resident, Mohammed Haboub, said his nephews, father, and neighbours’ children were among the dead.

“We didn’t do anything to them, why do they harm us? Did we harm them? We are civilians,” he told Reuters.

The health ministry said emergency crews were struggling to reach victims trapped under rubble and on impassable roads.

Responding to questions about the Tuffah strike, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted “a suspicious individual” and had taken “numerous steps to mitigate the risk of harming civilians,” while claiming it was “unaware of injuries” beyond the intended target.

On Saturday evening, the IDF announced the killing of Hakham Muhammad Issa al-Issa, a founding member of Hamas’s military wing and senior commander, in a strike in Gaza City. Al-Issa was said to have played a key role in Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

The Israeli military campaign in Gaza began shortly after that attack, and the Hamas-run health ministry says more than 56,000 Palestinians have been killed since then.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire gained momentum. US President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a new truce could be reached within the coming week. Qatar, which has played a key role in past mediation efforts, also voiced hope that American pressure could help achieve a breakthrough.

The last ceasefire, agreed in January, collapsed in March when Israel resumed strikes in Gaza. Talks have since remained stalled, though a senior Hamas official told the BBC that mediators had intensified efforts to reach a deal involving the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

In Tel Aviv, a rally was held on Saturday evening calling for renewed efforts to free remaining Israeli hostages. Organisers demanded a deal that would end the fighting and “bring everyone home in one phase”.

As violence continues, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. With strikes hitting shelters, hospitals overwhelmed, and aid routes disrupted, the calls for a ceasefire grow louder — even as prospects remain uncertain.

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