Netanyahu balks at Hamas demands

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday firmly rejected an offer by Hamas to release hostages in exchange for Israel withdrawing from Gaza and freeing Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu said leaving Gaza without defeating Hamas would mean Israeli soldiers died in vain. The United States has called for the creation of an independent Palestinian state after the war ends. Netanyahu said an independent Palestinian state with its own military was out of the question.

What does the war look like on the ground? The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says more than 25,000 Palestinians have now died in the conflict. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel on Sunday also said another of the hostages held by Hamas had died.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD Magazine about Americans who oppose the United States’ involvement in international conflicts.