Israel announced on Monday, September 8, that it would increase its bombing campaign in Gaza, calling it a “mighty hurricane.”
The government warned that Hamas must release all hostages and agree to surrender or face the complete destruction of the territory.
People in Gaza City reported intense bombardments, with explosions shaking residential streets. Israeli forces also detonated old armored vehicles in crowded areas.
At the same time, Hamas confirmed it was reviewing a new U.S. ceasefire proposal, which came with President Donald Trump’s warning that it was the group’s “last chance.”
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said in a statement on X that the strikes would hit Gaza’s tallest towers and shake the city’s rooftops.
He told Hamas to release hostages and lay down their weapons or face annihilation.
Shortly after Katz’s warning, six people, including a Spanish national, were killed in a shooting at a Jerusalem bus stop. Hamas praised those behind the attack.
Later that day, the Israeli military struck a 12-story residential block in central Gaza where dozens of displaced families had been sheltering. The army said Hamas fighters had been using the area to plan attacks against Israeli troops.
According to a senior Israeli official, the latest U.S. ceasefire plan demands that Hamas hand over all 48 remaining hostages — both alive and dead — on the first day of a truce.
Talks on ending the war would then follow. Hamas said it was willing to release hostages but insisted this must be tied to an official end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Israel launched a new offensive in Gaza City last month. Despite the risks, hundreds of thousands of residents have returned to live in the ruins left behind by some of the war’s fiercest battles nearly two years ago.
On Monday, at least 40 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes and ground operations, health officials reported. Among the dead was journalist Osama Balousha.
Palestinian authorities said nearly 250 journalists have died since the start of the war, making it the deadliest conflict for media workers in modern history. Israel denies targeting journalists and has blocked foreign reporters from entering Gaza.
The war began in 2023 when Hamas fighters launched a deadly assault in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting more than 250 hostages. While many were freed during temporary ceasefires in 2023 and 2025, dozens remain in captivity.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened badly. Health officials report that more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed.
Severe shortages of food and medicine have also caused nearly 400 deaths from malnutrition and starvation, many of them children. Israel disputes these figures, claiming they are exaggerated.
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts, peace talks have broken down again and again. Israel insists that Hamas must release all hostages and surrender unconditionally.
Hamas refuses, saying it will not lay down its arms until Palestinians achieve independence and statehood.
