Humanitarian support has collapsed in the enclave, which has been under total Israeli blockade for over two months. Aid groups say the territory is on the brink of famine.

The air and artillery strikes were focused on the northern section of the tiny, crowded enclave, where dozens of people including women and children were killed overnight, said Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Khalil al-Deqran.

As health officials in Hamas-run Gaza put death toll over 53,000, Trump says, "we're going to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving."

The announcement of the first hostage release since Israel shattered a ceasefire in March comes shortly before Trump visits the Middle East this week.

Hamas has proposed releasing more hostages under a new Gaza ceasefire deal, after new negotiations were held on Saturday. The talks began hours after Israel's military launched a major new offensive in the Gaza Strip.

A senior Hamas official told AFP Friday that the group expects the United States to pressure Israel into lifting its aid blockade of Gaza after the group released a US-Israeli hostage this week. “Hamas is awaiting and expecting the US administration to exert further pressure on the Netanyahu government to open the crossings and allow