Hamas Rejects Israeli Proposal for Temporary Ceasefire – Netanyahu Orders Intensification of War in Gaza
Gaza, April 20, 2025 —
At least 54 Palestinians were killed on Saturday in ongoing Israeli air and ground assaults across the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his forces to intensify the war against Hamas after the group rejected an Israeli proposal for a temporary ceasefire. Hamas instead reiterated its demand for a permanent end to the war and a deal to release all hostages.
Hamas has stated that it does not have confirmed information about the whereabouts of Israeli-American citizen Edan Alexander. The group claims that the body of the guard who had been watching over him has been recovered.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 51,065 Palestinians have been killed and 116,505 injured during the 18-month-long Israeli offensive.
Gaza’s Government Media Office has reported that the actual number of deaths has surpassed 61,700, as thousands of people still trapped under rubble are presumed dead.
On the other hand, at least 1,139 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
In this increasingly tense situation, no lasting resolution to the conflict appears to be in sight. While the international community continues to call for peaceful efforts to end the hostilities, the conflict remains ongoing.
