The Latest: Israel and Iran accept ceasefire plan proposed by President Trump

Israel and Iran on Tuesday accepted a ceasefire plan proposed by President Donald Trump to end their 12-day war that roiled the Middle East, after Tehran launched a limited, retaliatory missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar.

The acceptance of the deal by both sides came after Iran launched a final onslaught of missiles targeting Israel that killed at least four people early Tuesday morning, while Israel launched a blitz of airstrikes targeting sites across the Islamic Republic before dawn.

Here is the latest:

Sirens sound again in Israel

Sirens sounded across northern Israel after Israel said it had identified missiles launched from Iran, less than three hours after the ceasefire began.

Explosions could be heard as Israeli air defenses fired.

“Tehran will tremble,” wrote Israeli firebrand Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich on X after the missiles were launched.

Hospital in Gaza says dozens are in critical condition

The Awda hospital in Gaza’s urban Nuseirat refugee camp said another 146 people were wounded when Israeli forces and drones opened fire toward hundreds of Palestinians waiting for aid trucks.

Among them were 62 in critical condition, who were transferred to other hospitals in central Gaza, it said.

In the central town of Deir al-Balah, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital said it received the bodies of six people who were killed in the same incident.

The deaths were the latest in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza which killed about 56,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants but says more than a half of the dead were women and children.

Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251 hostages.

Most of the hostages were released by ceasefire agreements.

Witnesses describe ‘massacre’ in Gaza

“It was a massacre,” said Ahmed Halawa.

He said tanks and drones fired at people, “even as we were fleeing. Many people were either martyred or wounded.”

Hossam Abu Shahada, another eyewitness, said drones were flying over the area, watching the crowds first, then there was gunfire from tanks and drones as people were moving eastward. He described a “chaotic and bloody” scene as people were attempting to escape.

He said he saw at least three people lying on the ground motionless and many others wounded as he fled the site.

Israeli forces and drones fire on hundreds of Palestinians waiting for aid

Israeli forces and drones opened fire toward hundreds of Palestinians waiting for aid trucks in central Gaza early Tuesday, killing at least 25 people, Palestinian witnesses and hospitals said.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment.

The Awda hospital in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp, which received the victims, said the Palestinians were waiting for the trucks on the Salah al-Din Road south of Wadi Gaza.

Witnesses told The Associated Press that Israeli forces opened fire as people were advancing eastward to be close to the approaching trucks.

Netanyahu says Israel’s war goals attained

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has agreed to the bilateral ceasefire with Iran in coordination with President Donald Trump.

Netanyahu said that he had reported to Israel’s security cabinet Monday night that Israel had achieved all of its war goals in the 12-day operation against Iran, including removing the threat of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Israel also damaged Iran’s military leadership and several government sites and achieved control over Tehran’s skies, Netanyahu said.

“Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,” Netanyahu said.

Three residential buildings damaged in Beersheba

Israel police said the barrage damaged at least three densely packed residential buildings in Beersheba.

Outside, the shells of burned out cars littered the streets. Broken glass and rubble covered the area.

Hundreds of emergency workers gathered to search for anyone else trapped in the buildings.

Israel police said the impact of the hit was so great that some people were injured even while inside their reinforced safe rooms in each apartment.

The safe rooms are meant to withstand rockets and shrapnel but not direct hits from ballistic missiles.

Residents evacuated damaged building with their suitcases Tuesday morning in Beersheba.

Some said they were skeptical of the ceasefire, announced by Trump.

“I don’t believe the Iranians,” said Ortal Avilevich, a resident who lives five minutes away from the blast.

“I’m happy with Donald Trump and I think Iran is afraid of him, but I hope there is quiet right now.”

Israeli airspace reopens

Israel’s Airports Authority said the country’s airspace has reopened for emergency flights after closing earlier due to an hourslong barrage of missiles from Iran.

Death toll rises to 4 in Beersheba

Israeli firefighters said they retrieved four bodies from a building hit by an Iranian missile in the city of Beersheba.

The direct hit in the largest city in southern Israel comes just days after the city’s hospital sustained significant damage in a missile strike.

The search and rescue team said they retrieved four bodies from one building in Beersheba and were searching for more.

Israel closes its airspace

The Israel Airports Authority said the barrages from Iran forced them to close the skies to all passenger planes, including emergency flights that were expected to land and depart on Tuesday.

Some flights were forced to circle over the Mediterranean Sea, according to Israeli media.

Israel’s airports have been closed since the war with Iran began, but a handful of emergency flights had started arriving and departing over the past few days.

Israeli firefighters rescue children trapped in rubble

Israeli firefighters said they rescued at least three people, including children trapped in the rubble of an apartment building after an Iranian missile barrage struck southern Israel.

In Beersheba, first responders cordoned off blocks as they tried to assess how many people had been killed and injured.

The streets around the impact site were littered with glass and debris, windows were blown out of buildings as anxious neighbors stood outside their damaged houses.

Iran state television announces ceasefire has begun

Iranian state television reported Tuesday that a ceasefire had begun in its war with Israel, even as Israel warned the public of a new missile barrage launched from Iran.

It wasn’t immediately possible to reconcile the messages from Iran and Israel on the 12th day of their war.

Iranian state television announced the ceasefire in a graphic on screen, not immediately acknowledging the new missile barrage coming after the deadline set by President Donald Trump in his earlier ceasefire announcement.

Israel warned of another wave of incoming missiles 20 minutes after the ceasefire was supposed to come into effect.

At least 3 killed and 8 injured in latest Iranian barrage, Israel says

Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue services said at least three people were killed and eight injured in the early morning barrage. A residential building in Israel’s south sustained heavy damage, emergency responders said.

Waves of missiles sent Israelis across the country to bomb shelters for almost two hours Tuesday morning.