Israel PM says Hamas must be destroyed for peace; US, Iran-backed militants clash

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue fighting in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed, defying global calls for a ceasefire amid concerns the conflict could spread with U.S. and Iran-aligned forces attacking each other. He dismissed media speculation that his government might call a halt to the fighting and reiterated three prerequisites for peace: Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza must be demilitarized, and Palestinian society must be deradicalized. The war has been retaliated against by Israel, with nearly 20,700 Gazans killed, including 250 in the last 24 hours. The U.S. has been under pressure to shift operations in Gaza to a lower-intensity phase and reduce civilian deaths. The U.S. military has been under attack in Iraq and Syria since the Israel-Hamas war began in October, usually with a mix of rockets and one-way attack drones.

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