PHEONIX: US presidential nominee Kamala Harris speaking to reporters during a campaign stop in Phoenix, has reiterated calls for a “hostage deal and a ceasefire” in Gaza, Al Jazeera reports.

When asked for her reaction to Israel’s attack on a school compound in Gaza City, which has killed more than 100 people, the US vice president said, “Yet again, far too many civilians have been killed.”

At least “11 children and six women” are confirmed as being among the dead, according to Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal.

Israel has claimed, without providing evidence, that it killed 19 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in Saturday’s attack, and that the death toll has been inflated.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has slammed the White House’s criticism of his opposition to a ceasefire deal.

In a post on X, the far-right minister wrote: “I respect the US position and thank them for their support of Israel against regional threats, but I expect them to respect Israeli democracy.

“Just as the US would reject international pressure to reach a surrender agreement with al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, Israel will not yield to external pressure that compromises its security.

“A surrender agreement with Sinwar that abandons most hostages to death, releases mass murderers, allows the return of terrorists to the north of the Gaza Strip, abandons the border and allows Hamas to smuggle weapons and restore its strength in order to return and attack Israel, is bad for Israel and endangers its security. And we will oppose it with all our strength. No amount of criticism or attacks will distract me from this goal.”