Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:59am on 11 Dec 2023,Monday International
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called for Hamas operatives to lay down their arms, saying the Palestinian group's end was near, as the war in the Gaza Strip raged more than two months after it began. "The war is still ongoing, but it is the beginning of the end of Hamas. I say to the Hamas terrorists: It's over. Don't die for (Yahya) Sinwar. Surrender now," Netanyahu said in a statement, referring to the chief of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. But Hamas remained defiant, warning no hostages would leave Gaza alive without meeting the group's demands. Spokesman Abu Obeida said in a broadcast that neither Israel nor its backers can take prisoners without negotiations and concessions. The pronouncements come as over 17,100 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 50,000 wounded by Israeli assaults since October 7. Meanwhile, close to 1,200 Israelis have died as well over the course of the prolonged conflict.
