At least 25 Palestinians, including children, were killed in a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Friday, according to hospital officials, intensifying an already dire humanitarian crisis and dimming hopes for renewed ceasefire talks. The latest bombardments came as newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee made his first public appearance in Jerusalem, marking a symbolic step in the Biden administration’s deepening diplomatic engagement amid the war.
Medical officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving 15 bodies following three separate Israeli strikes on the southern city. In northern Gaza, another 10 people were killed in Jabaliya, including eight members of a single family, according to the Indonesian Hospital. The total number of casualties may rise as rescue efforts continue.
These latest strikes follow Thursday’s deadly bombings that killed more than two dozen people across the enclave. Israeli forces have intensified operations as pressure mounts on Hamas to disarm and return hostages abducted during the
Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee made his first official appearance in Jerusalem, visiting the Western Wall—the holiest prayer site in Judaism. Huckabee, a former governor and presidential candidate, placed a handwritten note in the Wall, which he said was penned by U.S. President Donald Trump and signed with his initials “D.T.”
Speaking to reporters, Huckabee said President Trump had instructed him to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to securing the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas and emphasized that efforts were underway to facilitate new negotiations. While Huckabee has previously voiced support for controversial Israeli policies, including annexation of the West Bank, he stated that it would not be his role to push those agendas as ambassador.
His appointment comes at a critical juncture in the 18-month conflict, as international mediators, led by the U.S., attempt to revive a collapsed ceasefire agreement reached earlier this year.
The core of the ceasefire negotiations remains the return of hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border assault, which left approximately 1,200 people dead and 251 abducted. Israel insists any new truce must begin with the release of remaining hostages and culminate in Hamas’ disarmament and withdrawal from Gaza.
However, Hamas has rejected the latest Israeli proposal. Speaking Thursday, senior Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya reiterated the group’s conditions: a full Israeli withdrawal, a permanent ceasefire, and a large-scale prisoner exchange. Hamas currently holds 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to still be alive.
Friday’s bombings came amid heightened warnings from humanitarian organizations over Israel’s six-week-long blockade of Gaza, which has effectively halted the flow of food, medicine, and fuel into the territory. The United Nations has sounded alarms over rapidly increasing child malnutrition rates, with many families surviving on one sparse meal per day as supplies dwindle.
Israel’s Defense Minister has defended the blockade as a strategic pressure tactic aimed at cutting off Hamas’ lifelines. However, aid agencies dispute allegations that humanitarian aid is being diverted by militants, insisting that U.N. distribution is closely monitored. Rights groups have denounced the blockade as a “starvation tactic” in violation of international law.
Despite the ongoing war, Gaza’s Christian minority gathered on Friday to commemorate Good Friday inside the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrios—believed to be the third-oldest church in the world. Worshippers lit candles and prayed in solemn remembrance of Jesus’ crucifixion. The church compound itself was damaged in an October 2023 strike that killed more than a dozen civilians sheltering inside.
Before the war, Gaza was home to around 1,300 Christians, according to the U.S. State Department. Their numbers have since dwindled amid displacement and destruction.
Since Israel launched its retaliatory offensive in October 2023, more than 51,000 Palestinians—primarily women and children—have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The conflict has razed vast swaths of the territory, destroyed much of its agricultural infrastructure, and displaced roughly 90% of the population. Hundreds of thousands of residents now live in makeshift tent camps and bombed-out buildings, dependent on dwindling aid supplies and uncertain international relief.
With ceasefire negotiations once again at a standstill and casualties mounting by the day, diplomatic observers warn the window for peace may be closing fast. The arrival of Ambassador Huckabee signals renewed U.S. involvement—but whether it will bring about meaningful progress remains to be seen.
