The Gaza civil defence agency on Saturday, 4 October 2025, said that the Israeli strikes on Gaza have claimed the lives of at least 57 people since sunrise, despite US President Donald Trump’s request to Israel to halt its attacks on the region, reported the news agency AFP .
According to the agency report, nearly 40 people have lost their lives in Gaza City alone, and at least 57 people in total due to the Israeli strikes.
“The death toll from the ongoing Israeli bombardment since dawn today stands at 57, including 40 in Gaza City alone,” said Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the agency under Hamas authority, told the news agency.
However, due to the media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas, the news agency could not independently verify the death toll and the details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.
Victims in Gaza
The spokesperson told the news agency that 18 people lost their lives in the Israeli strike, which was targeting the home of the Abdul Aal family in the city’s Al-Tuffa neighbourhood of the city, according to the agency report.
The news report also cited Mohammed Abu Salmiya, head of Gaza’s main Al-Shifa Hospital, who said that at least 39 people have been killed, including many people in Gaza City.
“Since President Trump called on Israel to stop bombing Gaza, Israel has actually escalated its attacks,” a local resident of Gaza, Mahmud Al-Ghazi, told the news agency.
“Today, Israel bombed several homes full of civilians, like the Abdul Aal family home…The shelling continues with artillery and drones dropping bombs on civilians’ homes and directly targeting people,” he told the news agency.
According to Israeli media reports, the military has reportedly shifted to a defensive posture in Gaza after Trump told Netanyahu to ‘stop bombing’ Gaza. However, the agency could not confirm this with the military.