Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out possibility of ceasefire in Gaza amid its war with Hamas until the group released all the hostages. Netanyahu made the comments on Friday, which marked the war's 28th day.
"Israel rejects a temporary ceasefire that does not involve the return of our hostages," Netanyahu said in a televised address.
About 240 people have been taken hostage by Hamas in its October 7 attack in southern Israel. The attack claimed lives of approximately 1,400 people; while more than 9,200 Palestinians in Gaza were killed by the continuous airstrikes by Israeli forces, Palestinian health officials said.
Israeli troops encircle Gaza City
As US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday, Israeli troops encircled Gaza City to target Hamas fighters. The Israeli forces continued bombardment of the Gaza Strip by land, sea, and air the night.
Blinken, while maintaining the US support to Israel in the war, advocated for humanitarian pauses in Gaza to enable aid to reach the region.
Hezbollah leader's first public address
In his first public address since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that his group had become involved in the recent cross-border clashes of the past weeks. He stated, "Our actions won't be confined to this," implying the potential for further escalation. However, Nasrallah refrained from declaring full engagement of Hezbollah in the war.
