Netanyahu calls on Hamas to 'surrender now' as tanks reach heart of Khan Younis

As Israel continues its bombardment of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said to Hamas militants, "It's over."

A man in a suit and tie looks on.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Hamas militants to lay down their arms. Source: AAP / Ronen Zvulun/AP

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for Hamas militants to lay down their arms, saying the Palestinian Islamist group's end was near, raged more than two months after it started.

"The war is still ongoing but it is the beginning of the end of Hamas. I say to the Hamas terrorists: It's over. Don't die for (Yahya) Sinwar. Surrender now," Netanyahu said in a statement, referring to the chief of Hamas in Gaza.

"In the past few days, dozens of Hamas terrorists have surrendered to our forces," Netanyahu said.

The military has not released proof of militants surrendering, and Hamas has rejected such claims.
Almost one month ago, Israel's defence minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas had "lost control" of Gaza.

Hamas triggered the conflict with the deadliest-ever attack on Israel on 7 October in which it killed around 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures, and took 240 hostages back to Gaza. The attack was a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has responded with a relentless military offensive that has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed at least 17,997 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Israeli tanks reach centre of Khan Younis

Israeli tanks have battled their way to the centre of Khan Younis in a in the southern Gaza Strip.
Residents said tanks had reached the main north-south road through the middle of Khan Younis on Sunday after intense combat through the night that had slowed the Israeli advance from the east. Warplanes were pounding the area west of the assault.

The air rumbled with the constant thud of explosions and thick columns of white smoke rose over the city, which is sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians who fled other parts of the enclave.

WHO urges immediate aid for Gaza

The World Health Organization's executive board on Sunday adopted a resolution calling for immediate, unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza after the WHO chief said medics were facing unimaginable conditions.

The 34 countries on the board adopted the resolution by consensus, even though some, notably the United States, had reservations about the dearth of references to the Hamas attacks of 7 October.
In addition to calling for immediate humanitarian relief, the resolution demanded the granting of exit permits for patients.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the board had managed to achieve "the first consensus resolution on the conflict... since it began two months ago."

He added it was "a platform on which to build".

The resolution seeks the supply and replenishment of medicine and medical equipment to the civilian population and ensure access to medical treatment.

It was brought forward by Afghanistan, Morocco, Qatar and Yemen.

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3 min read
Published 11 December 2023 6:30am
Updated 11 December 2023 6:57am
Source: AFP, AAP


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