Hamas鈥檚 armed wing urged the Israeli military to temporarily halt air strikes and withdraw from part of Gaza City on Sunday as it tried to locate two Israeli hostages it said it had lost contact with.
鈥楾he lives of the two prisoners are in real danger, and Israeli forces must immediately withdraw to the south of Street 8 and halt aerial operations for 24 hours starting from 18:00 today to allow attempts to rescue the prisoners,鈥� wrote the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades in a statement.
In a previous announcement, the armed group said the loss of contact was due to Israeli military operations in two southern Gaza City neighbourhoods over the previous 48
hours, where Israeli forces have stepped up air and ground assaults.
In the past, the Islamist movement announced that it had lost contact with an Israeli-American hostage, who was released a few days after that announcement.
Since launching its offensive on Gaza City, the Israeli military has repeatedly ordered Palestinians to move south.
Speaking at the United Nations, Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to 鈥榝inish the job鈥� against Hamas, despite sharp international condemnation following the intensification of the offensive.
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas鈥檚 October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Of the 251 people abducted during the attack, 47 remain held in Gaza, including 25 whom the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel鈥檚 retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 66,005 people, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory鈥檚 health ministry, which the UN deems reliable.
Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump hinted at a breakthrough in the Middle East crisis, saying 鈥榓ll are on board for something special,鈥� on the eve of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 visit to the White House.
鈥榃e have a real chance for GREATNESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST,鈥� Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.聽鈥橝LL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER. WE WILL GET IT DONE!!!鈥�
Earlier Friday, Trump had told reporters in Washington 鈥業 think we have a deal鈥� on Gaza.
On the same day, addressing the United Nations, Netanyahu vowed to block a Palestinian state while also committing to 鈥榝inish the job鈥� against Hamas, days after Britain, France and other Western powers recognised a state of Palestine.
