Netanyahu rejects Gaza ceasefire and vows to target Hamas leaders abroad

Mr Netanyahu's latest broadside came after Israeli forces levelled 16 buildings, including three residential towers, in the Gaza Strip on Sunday as Israel ramped up an offensive to seize and displace the population.

It follows last week's aerial assault on Qatar targeting Hamas negotiators, killing five group members and a Qatari security officer, according to Hamas.

The Israeli leader gave no indication that Tel Aviv would back down from its strikes on high-rise and other buildings in Gaza City, where he claims Hamas fighters are hiding.

"The principle that terrorists should not have immunity wherever they are, wherever they may be, was not established by me," he claimed.

But the Government Media Office in Gaza said "the field realities prove beyond doubt” that Israeli forces were bombing “schools, mosques, hospitals and medical centres”.

They added that Israel was destroying towns, residential buildings, tents and headquarters of various groups, including international humanitarian organisations.

Mr Netanyahu made the comments during a news conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had come to Jerusalem seeking answers about how Israel intended to proceed in Gaza.

Their meeting coincides with an emergency summit held by Arab states in Qatar after Israel's attack on the Gulf state.

Mr Rubio echoed Mr Netanyahu's belief that the only way to peace is the complete destruction of Hamas and the return of all hostages, living and dead.

"As much as we may wish that there be a peaceful, diplomatic way to end it, and we'll continue to explore and be dedicated to it, we also have to be prepared for the possibility that's not going to happen," he said.

He downplayed US concerns about Israel's latest operations in Gaza City, repeating several times that Mr Trump is determined to see the conflict come to an end and that requires the destruction of Hamas.

America continues to show support for Israel as it expects to face growing international condemnation of the war at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session, at which a number of European countries and Canada have said they intend to recognise a Palestinian state over fervent US and Israeli objections.

Mr Rubio also claimed that statehood recognition is "actually counterproductive" to creating a state through negotiations and suggested that such proclamations are self-serving.

"They have really no impact whatsoever in bringing us any closer to a Palestinian state. The only impact they actually have is it makes Hamas feel more emboldened," he said.

"It's actually served as an impediment to peace."

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), said in a post on X that "no place is safe in Gaza", after 10 of the agency’s buildings had been hit in Gaza City in the past four days alone.

That includes seven schools and two clinics that were sheltering thousands of displaced people.

Since Israel began its war on Gaza after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, at least 64,871 Palestinians have been killed and 164,610 injured, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.