Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has warned Hamas to release hostages and disarm or face total destruction, following US President Donald Trump’s ultimatum for the militant group to accept a hostage-release deal.
The warning came hours after gunmen opened fire at a bus stop in East Jerusalem, killing five people and injuring several others. Israeli emergency services confirmed that the attackers were also killed.
In Gaza, the civil defence agency reported that overnight Israeli airstrikes killed 10 people, with at least 48 others killed on Sunday. The military has intensified its offensive in Gaza City, levelling high-rise buildings as part of its vow to capture the territory despite rising international pressure.
A grieving father, Issa Suleiman, was seen carrying the shrouded body of his one-year-old son after an airstrike killed five of his neighbours and left several family members injured.
Defence Minister Katz described the military escalation as a “massive hurricane” that would intensify operations in Gaza. Meanwhile, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned what he called “the genocide in Gaza,” sparking a diplomatic row with Israel. The United Nations’ rights chief, Volker Turk, also expressed alarm over “genocidal rhetoric” from Israeli officials.
President Trump said his “last warning” to Hamas requires the group to accept terms for releasing hostages, insisting that Israel had already agreed. Hamas responded by signalling readiness for talks, demanding an end to the war, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the creation of a Palestinian-led independent governing committee.
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel left 1,219 people dead, mostly civilians, while Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed more than 64,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.
What you should know
Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, and others, faces a final warning from Israel to release hostages or face annihilation.
The conflict, sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 attack, has since claimed over 65,000 lives on both sides, with international leaders divided over Israel’s military response and growing calls for a ceasefire.
