Israel warns Hamas to accept US envoy's Gaza ceasefire deal 'or be destroyed'

Jerusalem, May 31 (IANS) Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas to accept the Gaza ceasefire deal proposed by US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, "or be destroyed."

Witkoff's proposal includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 bodies in two phases in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release by Israel of 1,236 Palestinian detainees and prisoners, along with the bodies of 180 Palestinians, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the media reports.

In a statement issued by his office, Katz said the Israeli military continued its operations in Gaza with full force, carrying out attacks by air, land, and sea on an unprecedented scale "for maximum protection of our soldiers in preparation for the entry of the maneuvering forces in each area."

In a statement issued on Friday, the Israeli military said that since Thursday, its air force, alongside ground forces, had struck dozens of targets across the Gaza Strip, which "eliminated terrorists, dismantled weapons, terrorist infrastructure, and underground infrastructure sites."

It added that during the military operations, two rocket-propelled grenades were fired at Israeli troops, lightly wounding three soldiers.

Of the 251 hostages seized during the October 2023 Hamas attack, 57 remain in Gaza, of whom 34 are believed to be dead, according to the Israeli military.

Earlier on Friday, the White House said that Israel has signed off on a 60-day Gaza ceasefire proposal as Israeli army continues its military actions in the war-torn area.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed at a press briefing that US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump "submitted a ceasefire proposal to Hamas that Israel backed and supported."

--IANS

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