Trump to meet with Netanyahu at White House amid Israel’s increased offensive in Gaza

The meeting by the two leaders comes amid a stepped-up offensive in Gaza that the Israeli military said is aimed at putting pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages and, eventually, expel the militant group.

Hamas, which had long been designated a terrorist organization by Israel and the U.S. even before it carried out the brutal Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza, said Friday that Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza was creating a “highly dangerous” situation for the hostages still held there. It warned that half of the living captives were in areas where the Israeli army had ordered evacuations.

“Half of the living Israeli (hostages) are located in areas that the Israeli occupation army has requested to be evacuated in recent days,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing, said in a statement, AFP reported. “We have decided not to transfer these (hostages)… but (this situation) is highly dangerous to their lives.”

Hamas says it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli pullout from Gaza. The group has rejected demands that it lay down its arms or leave the territory.

Israel has issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza ahead of expected expansions in its ground operations. The U.N. humanitarian office said around 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel abruptly ended a ceasefire with Hamas last month that had been brokered by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar.