As Israeli strikes kill dozens, Hamas seeks ironclad guarantees to end the war, and Trump steps in

With smoke still rising over Gaza and the death toll mounting by the hour, Hamas is demanding cast-iron guarantees that a proposed ceasefire—brokered with US backing—will not just pause the war, but end it.

The pressure is mounting on all sides. At least 59 Palestinians were killed Thursday in intensified Israeli air strikes, bringing the two-day death toll to over 300, according to local health authorities. Across the battered enclave, schools have been bombed, homes flattened, and civilians buried beneath the rubble.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump says he will know within 24 hours whether Hamas will accept a 60-day truce that Israel has reportedly agreed to. The ceasefire, if finalised, would halt nearly 21 months of war, triggered by the October 2023 attacks and followed by relentless bombardments, mass displacement, and mounting international outrage.

But Hamas isn’t biting without assurances.

“A source close to the group” told reporters the militant organisation wants guarantees that the truce will lead to a full cessation of hostilities—not just another brief lull before fresh violence. The group is reportedly consulting with other Palestinian factions before delivering a formal response to regional mediators.

Despite Trump’s efforts to project optimism ahead of next week’s White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the violence on the ground tells another story.

On Friday morning, the Gaza Civil Defence agency confirmed 73 additional deaths from overnight air raids. In one of the most harrowing strikes, a school sheltering families was obliterated. Videos from the site show torn textbooks and scorched children’s clothing scattered in the dust.

The United Nations and humanitarian groups continue to warn that conditions in Gaza are spiralling into an unlivable hellscape. Water systems are destroyed, electricity is scarce, and hospitals are collapsing under the weight of endless casualties.

And while US diplomatic pressure nudges the two sides toward a potential truce, Netanyahu is under fire at home. Families of captives taken by Hamas have taken to the streets, demanding answers and accusing his government of failing to secure their loved ones’ return.

On a visit to Nir Oz kibbutz—a community ravaged during the initial Hamas assault—Netanyahu vowed: “We will bring them all back.” But critics call it political theatre, pointing to mounting frustration inside Israel and within his own coalition.

Trump, too, has domestic challenges. While he talks of peace, his administration is moving to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student targeted for pro-Palestine activism. Khalil has turned the spotlight back on the US role in the war.

“This is a genocide being funded by the US,” he said in a televised statement, accusing elite universities and federal agencies of complicity.

Meanwhile, international politics are shifting. Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid just concluded talks in the UAE, while Saudi Arabia’s defence chief spoke with Iran’s top general—a sign that Trump’s regional balancing act is growing more precarious.

For now, all eyes are on next week’s Trump-Netanyahu summit in Washington, where a fragile ceasefire, battered civilians, and hostages hanging in limbo will take centre stage.

Whether Hamas agrees—or the bombs keep falling—will define the next chapter in one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century.