Israel threatens to turn Gaza ‘into dust’ if Hamas fails to agree a truce: Report
Israel threatens to turn Gaza ‘into dust’ if Hamas fails to agree a truce: Report
Israeli officials have warned that the country’s military will escalate its operations in Gaza if negotiations on a ceasefire and captive exchange deal do not advance soon, according to the US-based Axios news outlet.
Israel on Monday ordered civilians in additional areas of Gaza City to evacuate south, signalling preparations for a potential expansion of the army’s ground offensive.
“We’ll do to Gaza City and the central camps what we did to Rafah. Everything will turn to dust,” the outlet quoted a senior Israeli official as saying.
“It’s not our preferred option, but if there’s no movement toward a hostage deal, we won’t have any other choice.”
The report comes as Trump said Israel had agreed to the “necessary conditions” to finalise a 60-day truce and urged Hamas to accept the deal.
There has been no official word from Israel or Hamas yet.(Al Jazeera)