Israel urged Hamas to surrender Sunday as its military pounded Gaza’s largest urban center, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have taken refuge.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters in Jerusalem that the war could end immediately if Hamas released the remaining hostages being held in Gaza and laid down its weapons.
"We will be more than happy to reach this objective with political means," he said.
In response, senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters it would not lay down its arms but would release all of the hostages if Israel agreed to end the war and withdraw its forces from Gaza, a stance that has long been the Palestinian resistance group's position.
Israel last month launched an assault on Gaza City, the major urban center, and its forces are now just a few kilometers from the city center.
