Israel's defence minister warns Gaza City could be destroyed if Hamas doesn't accept ceasefire terms

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that Gaza City could beryllium destroyed if Hamas does not judge Israel's conditions for ending nan warfare successful a station connected X connected Friday.

It comes a time aft Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will springiness last support for nan business of Gaza City while besides starting negotiations pinch Hamas, aimed astatine returning nan hostages and ending nan astir two-year war, but only "on position acceptable to Israel."

Earlier this week, Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire connection drawn up by mediators from Egypt and Qatar. Egypt and Hamas officials said nan connection is almost identical to nan 1 Israel accepted earlier talks stalled past month.

The connection would see nan merchandise of immoderate hostages successful speech for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, a withdrawal of Israeli forces and negotiations complete a much imperishable ceasefire.

However, speaking astatine a gathering astatine nan Gaza subject section successful confederate Israel, Netanyahu told subject officials connected Thursday that Israel would only extremity nan warfare connected its ain terms.

In nan meantime, Israel has not indicated it intends to slow down nan description of its offensive. The Israeli subject started calling aesculapian officials and world organisations successful nan northbound of strip, ordering them to evacuate to nan south.

The subject besides mobilised 60,000 further reservists and extended nan work of 20,000 presently serving.

Israeli troops are already operating successful nan Zeitoun and Jabaliya neighbourhoods of Gaza City to hole nan groundwork for nan expanded operation.

The subject has antecedently said they will beryllium stationed wherever nan IDF has not yet operated and wherever it believes Hamas is still active.

Illegal West Bank colony project

On Wednesday, Israel besides gave support to an forbidden colony task successful nan occupied West Bank that would efficaciously trim nan territory successful two, a important rustle to nan prospects of Palestinian statehood.

Settlement improvement successful E1, an unfastened tract of onshore eastbound of Jerusalem, has been nether information for much than 2 decades, but was stiff owed to US unit during erstwhile administrations.

The Israeli business of Palestinian territories is forbidden nether world law.

Last year, nan International Court of Justice declared successful a landmark ruling that Israel should extremity colony activity successful nan West Bank and East Jerusalem and extremity its business of those areas arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Protests successful Israel and Gaza

On Thursday, protesters gathered successful Tel Aviv demanding nan return of nan hostages, holding signs that publication “The group will bring backmost nan hostages” and “How overmuch humor will beryllium spilled?”

Demonstrators expressed interest complete Netanyahu's scheme to grow nan offensive, arsenic they judge it would further endanger nan lives of nan remaining hostages. Of nan 50 still being held successful Gaza, Israel believes astir 20 are still alive.

Hundreds besides gathered successful Gaza for a uncommon protestation against nan warfare and Israel's scheme for wide relocation of Palestinians to different countries.

“We want nan warfare connected Gaza to stop. We don’t want to migrate. Twenty-two months…it’s enough. Enough death. Enough destruction,” said Bisan Ghazal, a female displaced from Gaza City.

Plans for nan expanded subject violative sparked wide world outrage, pinch galore of Israel's closest allies, pinch nan objection of nan United States, calling for an extremity to nan war.

Human authorities groups person many times warned of a worsening humanitarian situation successful nan Strip, wherever astir residents person been displaced, immense neighbourhoods dishonesty successful ruins and wherever famine is astatine a tipping point.

On Thursday, astatine slightest 36 Palestinians were killed by Israeli occurrence crossed nan Gaza Strip, including 14 who were seeking humanitarian aid, section hospitals reported.

Israeli airstrikes besides destroyed a shelter campy successful Deir al-Balah, wherever residents had been told by nan Israeli subject to flee. No casualties were reported, but nan onslaught destroyed astir 100 tents sheltering families already uprooted by fighting elsewhere.

The Israel-Hamas warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants attacked confederate Israel connected 7 October 2023, sidesplitting immoderate 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 group hostage.

Israel's violative has killed astatine slightest 62,192 Palestinians, nan Gaza Health Ministry said, whose figures do not separate betwixt combatants and civilians.