The Gaza Strip endured another day of deadly violence on September 25, 2025, with at least 17 people killed in Israeli attacks, according to local health officials, even as global leaders intensified efforts to secure a ceasefire. The strikes, targeting central and southern areas, have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, drawing sharp criticism and diplomatic maneuvers at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In Zawaida, a central town, an Israeli attack struck a tent and a house, killing 12 people, including eight children, as reported by Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. Family members indicated another girl remained trapped under rubble. Separately, an airstrike on a tent in Deir al-Balah claimed the life of a young girl, injuring seven others. In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, four people died when an apartment building was hit, with bodies taken to Nasser Hospital. These incidents underscore the relentless toll on civilians in the ongoing conflict.
Amid the bloodshed, international pressure for de-escalation mounted. French President Emmanuel Macron, in a Wednesday interview with France 24 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, announced France's recognition of a Palestinian state, framing it as a strategy to isolate Hamas. "Total war in Gaza is causing civilian casualties but can't bring about the end of Hamas. Factually, it's a failure," Macron stated, urging U.S. President Donald Trump to leverage his influence for a ceasefire. He emphasized that sustainable peace requires a clear path forward, beyond mere military action.
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Macron's move followed announcements from several European nations—France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco—recognizing Palestine on Monday, joined earlier by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal. These steps, taken in defiance of Israel and the U.S., aim to revive momentum for a two-state solution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, en route to New York for a Friday address to the UN, vehemently denounced the recognitions. "I will denounce those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, the rapists, the child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the land of Israel. It will not happen," he told reporters.
U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's negotiator Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism Wednesday about a proposed "Trump 21-point plan for peace," presented to Arab leaders on Tuesday. Details remain undisclosed, and neither Israel nor Hamas has publicly endorsed it. Netanyahu, planning a subsequent meeting with Trump in Washington, reiterated Israel's unwavering objectives: returning all hostages, defeating Hamas, and expanding regional peace agreements.
The conflict, ignited by Hamas-led militants' October 7, 2023, assault on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages, has spiraled into a devastating war. Of the captives, 48 remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed alive. Israel's retaliatory campaign has resulted in over 65,000 deaths, per the Gaza Health Ministry—figures deemed reliable by UN agencies and experts—half of whom are women and children. Recent escalations include a major ground operation in Gaza City, where famine grips the population; over 300,000 have fled, but up to 700,000 remain, many unable to relocate.
Ceasefire talks, mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, faltered earlier this month after an Israeli airstrike targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar. As diplomatic overtures clash with on-ground realities, the international community grapples with balancing pressure on Israel and Hamas while addressing the urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza.
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