Wednesday, 01 October, 2025
Hamas’ military wing announced on Sunday that it had lost contact with two Israeli hostages held in Gaza City, urging Israel to halt its airstrikes and withdraw ground forces for 24 hours to allow fighters to secure the captives.
The situation carries significant weight in Israel, where the fate of the hostages resonates deeply, and could cast a shadow over a scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have intensified their ground offensive in Gaza City, leveling entire neighborhoods and ordering hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to seek refuge in tented camps. Netanyahu has framed the operation as a decisive push to eliminate Hamas from its final stronghold, signaling a potential turning point in the long-running conflict.
Nevertheless, the past few days have seen increasing talk of steps towards a diplomatic resolution to the nearly two-year-old war. Trump said on Friday that a deal on Gaza seemed likely.
Hamas said earlier on Sunday that it had not yet received a new proposal to end the war. Netanyahu says Hamas must lay down its arms or be defeated. The militant group has so far said it will never give up its weapons as long as Palestinians are struggling for a state.
The Hamas military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, called on the Israeli military to pull troops back from the Sabra and Tel Al-Hawa districts southeast of Gaza City's centre, and suspend flights over the area for 24 hours from 1500 GMT so it could reach the two trapped hostages.
The Israeli military did not directly comment on the request but made clear it had no plans to halt its advances, issuing a statement ordering all residents of parts of Gaza City including the Sabra district to leave. It said it was about to attack Hamas targets and raze buildings in the area.
The widow of Palestinian man Nasser al-Frangi, who, according to medics, was killed in overnight Israeli strikes, kisses his shoes during his funeral at al-Awda Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, Sept 28, 2025.
Gaza residents and medics said Israeli tanks pushed deeper into Sabra, Tel Al-Hawa and nearby Sheikh Radwan and Al-Naser neighbourhoods, closing in on the heart of the city and western areas where hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering.
The Gaza health ministry said in a statement that at least 77 people had been killed by Israeli fire in the past 24 hours. Local health authorities said they had been unable to respond to dozens of desperate calls from trapped residents.
Gaza’s Civil Emergency Service reported late Saturday that Israel had rejected 73 requests, submitted through international organisations, to evacuate and treat injured Palestinians in Gaza City. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to the claims.
The families of the two hostages named by Hamas have asked that their identities not be disclosed by the media.
The current conflict traces back to October 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israeli territory, killing roughly 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Of the hostages, 48 remain in Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that 20 are still alive.
Medical authorities in Gaza report that the Israeli assault has killed over 66,000 people. The majority of homes have been damaged or destroyed, and 2.3 million residents are now facing an acute humanitarian crisis.
Israel maintains that Hamas, which has governed Gaza for nearly two decades, no longer possesses effective administrative authority and that its military capabilities have been reduced to those of a guerrilla force.
The long-anticipated ground offensive on Gaza City began on September 16, following weeks of escalating airstrikes on the urban centre. Over the past 24 hours alone, the Israeli Air Force said it had targeted 140 sites, including militant positions and key infrastructure used by Hamas.
The World Food Programme estimates that between 350,000 and 400,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City since last month, though hundreds of thousands remain in the city. Israeli authorities estimate the population of Gaza City in August was around one million.
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Hamas’ military wing announced on Sunday that it had lost contact with two Israeli hostages held in Gaza City, urging Israel to halt its airstrikes and withdraw ground forces for 24 hours to allow fighters to secure the captives.
The situation carries significant weight in Israel, where the fate of the hostages resonates deeply, and could cast a shadow over a scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have intensified their ground offensive in Gaza City, leveling entire neighborhoods and ordering hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to seek refuge in tented camps. Netanyahu has framed the operation as a decisive push to eliminate Hamas from its final stronghold, signaling a potential turning point in the long-running conflict.
Nevertheless, the past few days have seen increasing talk of steps towards a diplomatic resolution to the nearly two-year-old war. Trump said on Friday that a deal on Gaza seemed likely.
Hamas said earlier on Sunday that it had not yet received a new proposal to end the war. Netanyahu says Hamas must lay down its arms or be defeated. The militant group has so far said it will never give up its weapons as long as Palestinians are struggling for a state.
The Hamas military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, called on the Israeli military to pull troops back from the Sabra and Tel Al-Hawa districts southeast of Gaza City's centre, and suspend flights over the area for 24 hours from 1500 GMT so it could reach the two trapped hostages.
The Israeli military did not directly comment on the request but made clear it had no plans to halt its advances, issuing a statement ordering all residents of parts of Gaza City including the Sabra district to leave. It said it was about to attack Hamas targets and raze buildings in the area.
The widow of Palestinian man Nasser al-Frangi, who, according to medics, was killed in overnight Israeli strikes, kisses his shoes during his funeral at al-Awda Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, Sept 28, 2025.
Gaza residents and medics said Israeli tanks pushed deeper into Sabra, Tel Al-Hawa and nearby Sheikh Radwan and Al-Naser neighbourhoods, closing in on the heart of the city and western areas where hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering.
The Gaza health ministry said in a statement that at least 77 people had been killed by Israeli fire in the past 24 hours. Local health authorities said they had been unable to respond to dozens of desperate calls from trapped residents.
Gaza’s Civil Emergency Service reported late Saturday that Israel had rejected 73 requests, submitted through international organisations, to evacuate and treat injured Palestinians in Gaza City. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to the claims.
The families of the two hostages named by Hamas have asked that their identities not be disclosed by the media.
The current conflict traces back to October 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israeli territory, killing roughly 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Of the hostages, 48 remain in Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that 20 are still alive.
Medical authorities in Gaza report that the Israeli assault has killed over 66,000 people. The majority of homes have been damaged or destroyed, and 2.3 million residents are now facing an acute humanitarian crisis.
Israel maintains that Hamas, which has governed Gaza for nearly two decades, no longer possesses effective administrative authority and that its military capabilities have been reduced to those of a guerrilla force.
The long-anticipated ground offensive on Gaza City began on September 16, following weeks of escalating airstrikes on the urban centre. Over the past 24 hours alone, the Israeli Air Force said it had targeted 140 sites, including militant positions and key infrastructure used by Hamas.
The World Food Programme estimates that between 350,000 and 400,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City since last month, though hundreds of thousands remain in the city. Israeli authorities estimate the population of Gaza City in August was around one million.
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