At least 17 people were killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza on Thursday, including eight children, as international calls for a ceasefire grew.

The deadliest attacks hit the central town of Zawaida, where a tent and a house were struck, and the southern city of Khan Younis, where an apartment building was targeted.

Local hospitals reported multiple casualties and ongoing rescue efforts for those trapped under rubble.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, French President Emmanuel Macron criticized the military campaign, calling it a “failure” that cannot end Hamas and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to push for a ceasefire, the Associated Press has reported.

The escalating violence underscores the continuing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip amid stalled peace efforts.