Hamas wants plans for a deal instead of more talks; Israel widens evacuation orders

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Hamas appeared to push back against resuming negotiations with Israel on Thursday on any new cease-fire proposals. In a statement, it urged mediators United States, Egypt and Qatar to submit a plan to implement what was agreed on last month, based on U.S. President Joe Biden’s proposal, “instead of going to more rounds of negotiations or new proposals that provide cover for the occupation’s aggression.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli military ordered more evacuations in southern Gaza early Sunday.

The latest evacuation orders apply to areas of Khan Younis, Gaza’s second-largest city. Israel accuses Hamas and other terrorist groups of hiding among civilians and launching attacks from residential areas.

The new order came in leaflets dropped from the sky.

The war began when Hamas-led terrorists burst through Israel’s defenses on Oct. 7 and rampaged through farming communities and army bases near the border, killing around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting around 250 people. Of the roughly 110 remaining hostages, Israeli authorities believe around a third are dead.

The conflict has threatened to trigger a regional war, as Israel has traded fire with Iran and its allies across the region. “I hope that they will think this through and won’t get to a point where they will force us to cause significant damage and increase the chances of war breaking out on additional fronts,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Sunday.

In Lebanon, the Health Ministry said an Israeli strike near the southern town of Taybeh killed two people, without giving details. Israel’s military said it struck a cell of the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah. Hezbollah announced the deaths of three fighters, and said it conducted rocket and artillery attacks on Israeli military positions.

In the West Bank, which has seen increased violence since the war began, Israel’s military said that an Israeli civilian was fatally shot in an attack by terrorists in the area of Mehola Junction. The military said the terrorists opened fire from a passing vehicle at other cars, and another civilian was wounded. Soldiers were pursuing the attackers.