At least 73 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air and ground strikes across Gaza on Wednesday, including 43 in Gaza City, according to hospital officials, as Israel continued its overnight assault on the enclave’s main urban centre.
Hamas announced that it was prepared to accept a comprehensive truce tied to the release of all Israeli captives and backed the creation of an independent national administration to govern Gaza.
In a statement, the group said: “We are ready for a comprehensive truce deal that will see the release of all Israeli captives. We have also agreed to the formation of an independent national administration to run Gaza.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office rejected the proposal, insisting that any end to the conflict must be determined solely by Israel. “The war can end immediately, but only on conditions set by the Israeli cabinet,” his office said.
Meanwhile, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a plan calling for the annexation of nearly all of the occupied West Bank, urging Netanyahu to endorse it. “Israel must move forward with annexation, and I call on the Prime Minister to endorse this plan,” he said.
Since the conflict began in October 2023, at least 63,746 people have been killed and 161,245 injured in Gaza, according to local health authorities. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed in the October 7 attacks and around 200 were taken captive.
