Israel sets two conditions to cancel ground operation in Gaza

Monday, 23 October 2023 11:41

By Agencies

Israel's military has announced that the ground operation in Gaza would be cancelled if Hamas surrendered "unconditionally" and released all the hostages.

During an interview with Australian ABC Radio, Israeli army spokesman Jonathan Conricus said "if Hamas comes out of its hideouts... and returns all of our 212 hostages and surrender unconditionally, the war will end".

"If they don't do it, we'll probably have to go in and get it done," he added.

Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant said the ground operation in Gaza must be the last maneuver because after it there will be no Hamas movement.

It is more than two weeks since the conflict in Gaza erupted, with the death toll in Gaza touching 4,651 and injuries at 14,245.

More from International News

Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei as new supreme leader

Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as supreme leader as the week-old US-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Trump says he is 'nowhere near' deciding to send troops to Iran

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was "nowhere near" deciding whether to send U.S. troops into Iran to secure the stockpile of highly enriched uranium there.
Lebanon parliament extends its own mandate for two years as war intensifies

Lebanon’s parliament extended its own mandate for two years on Monday, a statement from the speaker's office said, pushing back elections that were meant to take place in May of this year.
France to deploy almost dozen warships, mulls Hormuz mission, Macron says

France is deploying about a dozen naval vessels, including its aircraft carrier strike group, to the Mediterranean, Red Sea and potentially the Strait of Hormuz as part of defensive support to allies threatened by the conflict in the Middle East.