Release of hostages and neutralization of Hamas - IDF names conditions for war end

In Israel, they said that they would cancel the land operation in the Gaza Strip if Hamas releases all the hostages and surrenders itself.

International spokesperson of the Israel Defense Forces Jonathan Conricus said this in an interview with Australian ABC radio.

"If Hamas comes out of its hiding places behind the Israeli civilian population, as it is doing now, returns our hostages — all 212 of them — and surrenders unconditionally, then the war will be over," the statement said.

At the same time, Conricus did not answer the question of why the land operation is being delayed, although the Israeli authorities have announced its start many times.

Instead, he declared that Israel would "completely eliminate Hamas."

He advised other parties to take sides in this confrontation.

"If you want to be on the side of the terrorists or the side of Israel, that's your choice," an IDF spokesman said.

Commenting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Conricus said that Israel should not provide food to an enemy that "launches rockets at our citizens and tries to kill them."

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said that a high-ranking Hamas commander was killed during a night Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip.

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