NextFin news, At least 17 people were killed in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, September 25, 2025, according to local health officials. The fatalities included one woman and eight children in the town of Zawaida, where a house and a tent were hit, as reported by Al Aqsa hospital.
Additional strikes in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis resulted in at least five more deaths, including children. In Khan Younis, four people died when an apartment building was struck, according to Nasser Hospital.
The attacks took place amid escalating international calls for a ceasefire in the region. On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that France had recognized a Palestinian state, viewing it as a necessary step to isolate Hamas, which continues to regenerate despite losses of its leaders.
Macron criticized the ongoing total war in Gaza for causing civilian casualties without ending Hamas, calling it a failure. He also urged U.S. President Donald Trump to press Israel for a ceasefire, emphasizing the importance of a path to peace.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned countries recognizing a Palestinian state, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, ahead of his scheduled speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Friday. Netanyahu stated he would denounce leaders who support granting a state to what he described as "murderers" and "child burners" in the heart of Israel.
U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and lead negotiator Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism about a "Trump 21-point plan for peace" presented to Arab leaders, though details remain undisclosed and acceptance by Israel or Hamas is unclear.
The Gaza conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel's retaliatory offensive has resulted in over 65,000 deaths in Gaza, with women and children comprising about half of the casualties, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas.
Efforts by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar to broker a ceasefire and hostage release have faced setbacks, including an Israeli airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar earlier this month.
As of September 25, 2025, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with famine conditions reported in Gaza City and hundreds of thousands displaced or unable to relocate due to financial constraints.
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