Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged Hamas on Wednesday to release all hostages. He said holding them gives Israel a reason to continue attacks on Gaza. His comments came as at least 25 people were killed by Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Germany, France, and the UK asked Israel to allow more aid into Gaza to help civilians.
Abbas calls on Hamas to release hostages
Speaking from Ramallah, Abbas said Hamas was giving Israel a reason to continue its attacks. He told Hamas to hand over the hostages to stop the suffering. Abbas said that it is the Palestinian people, not Israel, who are paying the price. He used harsh language to show his frustration and told Hamas to act quickly.
Hamas responds to Abbas’s comments
Hamas official Bassem Naim called Abbas’s words insulting. He said Abbas keeps blaming Hamas for Israel’s actions. The political fight between Hamas and Abbas’s party, Fatah, has lasted for almost 20 years. Both groups have often blamed each other for harming Palestinian unity.
Israeli strikes kill at least 25 in Gaza
Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday killed at least 25 people in Gaza. Eleven people died in a strike on a school in Gaza City. The school was being used as a shelter. Civil defense teams said a fire broke out after the bombing and several burned bodies were recovered. The Israeli military said the building was being used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders.
At Al-Shifa hospital, families cried over the bodies of loved ones. Many of the dead were children. Residents said they just want the war to end and to live in peace.
Hamas releases video of hostage
Hamas’s armed group released a video showing a man who said he is an Israeli hostage. He identified himself as 48-year-old Omri Miran. His family said the video proves that Israel has failed to bring him home. They promised to keep fighting for his return.
Gaza faces growing humanitarian crisis
Since Israel restarted its attacks on March 18, over 1,900 people have died in Gaza. The total death toll since the war started has now passed 51,000. On Wednesday, Israeli forces also bombed homes in eastern Gaza City, killing four more people. In another attack, Israel said it targeted 40 vehicles that were used for what they called terrorist activity.
Rescue workers in Gaza say they do not have enough tools or equipment to help people trapped under rubble. Many families are still searching for missing relatives.
Global leaders demand more aid for Gaza
The foreign ministers of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom asked Israel to allow more aid into Gaza. They warned of starvation, disease, and more deaths if supplies are not allowed in. They urged Israel to restart the flow of food, medicine, and water as soon as possible.
The United Nations says most of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have lost their homes. Many now live in schools or tents. Aid groups say the situation is getting worse every day.
A region still waiting for peace
Talks for a new ceasefire are taking place in Cairo with help from Egypt and Qatar. But so far, there is no agreement. President Abbas’s call for Hamas to release hostages may help lower tensions. Still, with more attacks and rising deaths, the people of Gaza continue to wait for peace.
