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Israel’s defence curate told Hamas connected Monday to laic down its arms oregon look annihilation, aft US President Donald Trump said the militant radical indispensable judge a woody to merchandise hostages successful Gaza.
The warnings came arsenic the Israeli subject intensified its bombings and operations astir Gaza City, which it has vowed to seizure successful a bid to yet decision Hamas aft astir 2 years of devastating conflict.
At slightest 48 radical were killed successful Israeli attacks successful Gaza connected Sunday, portion different 10 were killed successful strikes astir Gaza City overnight, the civilian defence bureau reported. AFP has contacted the Israeli subject for comment.
Hamas, whose unprecedented October 2023 onslaught connected Israel sparked the war, said soon aft Trump’s comments that it was acceptable for contiguous talks, but the presumption it gave for a woody appeared mostly unchanged from erstwhile rounds of negotiations.
“This is simply a last informing to the Hamas murderers and rapists successful Gaza and successful luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and enactment down your weapons — oregon Gaza volition beryllium destroyed and you volition beryllium annihilated,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said connected X.
“Today, a monolithic hurricane volition deed the skies of Gaza City and the roofs of the panic towers volition tremble,” helium wrote, adding that the subject was “preparing to expand” operations to conquer Gaza City.
Israel has not publically announced the commencement of its violative to prehend the city, but connected Sunday it bombed a 3rd high-rise successful arsenic galore days, saying it was being utilized by Hamas “to show the determination of… troops successful the area”.
Hamas has denied utilizing residential buildings for subject purposes.
Trump said Sunday helium was issuing a “last warning” to the group, insisting it judge a woody to merchandise the hostages seized during militants’ October 2023 attack. The Israeli subject says 47 hostages stay successful Gaza, including 25 believed to beryllium dead.
“The Israelis person accepted my terms. It is clip for Hamas to judge arsenic well. I person warned Hamas astir the consequences of not accepting. This is my past warning,” Trump said connected societal media, without elaborating further.
– Ready to negociate –
In a connection released soon aft Trump’s, Hamas said it was acceptable to “immediately beryllium astatine the negotiating table” pursuing what it described arsenic “some ideas from the American broadside aimed astatine reaching a ceasefire agreement”.
In exchange, it said it wanted “a wide declaration of the extremity of the war, a afloat withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the enactment of a committee of autarkic Palestinians to negociate the Gaza Strip, which would statesman its duties immediately”.
US quality outlet Axios reported that White House envoy Steve Witkoff sent a caller connection for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire woody to Hamas past week.
The White House has not released immoderate details astir the proposal, but precocious Sunday Trump said “you’ll beryllium proceeding astir it beauteous soon”, portraying the negotiations successful a affirmative light.
“I deliberation we’re going to person a woody connected Gaza precise soon,” helium told reporters.
In aboriginal March, Trump issued a akin ultimatum to Hamas, demanding it escaped each surviving hostages instantly and crook implicit the bodies of the dead, saying if not, “it is OVER for you”.
Hamas agreed past period to a ceasefire connection that progressive a 60-day truce and staggered hostage releases.
Israel, however, has demanded the militant radical merchandise each the hostages astatine once, disarm and relinquish power of Gaza, among different conditions.
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 onslaught connected Israel resulted successful the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based connected Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory violative has killed astatine slightest 64,368 Palestinians, astir of them civilians, according to figures from the wellness ministry successful Hamas-run Gaza that the United Nations considers reliable.
Media restrictions successful Gaza and difficulties successful accessing galore areas mean AFP is incapable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civilian defence bureau oregon the Israeli military.
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