Amid Netanyahu's warnings, Hamas threatens to kill hostages if Israel bombs civilian houses

As Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) continues its air strikes in the Gaza Strip for the fourth day, militant group Hamas has warned that it would kill an Israeli captive every time Israel bombs a Palestinian home without warning. The warning comes as Israel raises fears of a ground assault in Gaza, calling up its 300,000 reservists and imposing a total blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Hamas spokesperson Abu Ubaida said on Monday that Hamas would execute an Israeli captive for every Israeli bombing of a civilian house without warning, and broadcast the execution. The Israeli ministry has not responded to the threat yet.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said more than 100 people had been taken captive by Hamas during the deadly cross-border incursion over the weekend. 

As the war entered day four, the IDF fighter jets continued to rain havoc on Gaza. According to its Health Ministry, at least 687 Palestinians have been killed and 3,726 wounded since Saturday. Local media reports claimed apartment blocks, a mosque and hospitals were among the sites attacked. Israel also bombed the headquarters of the private Palestinian Telecommunication Co., which could affect landline telephone, internet and mobile phone services.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports said Qatar was holding mediation talks about the hostage situation. Its mediators held urgent calls to negotiate freedom for Israeli women and children seized by Hamas in exchange for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons. 

"With US support, Qatar is seeking to accomplish an urgent agreement that would lead to the release of Israeli women captured by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian female prisoners in Israeli prisons," the anonymous source told Xinhua on Sunday. However, The Times Of Israel quoted an official who said "there is no negotiation" over the release of hostages. 

Netanyahu's warning 

In a stern warning to Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said that "though Israel did not start this war" but "will finish it". "Israel is at war. We didn’t want this war. It was forced upon us in the most brutal and savage way. But though Israel didn’t start this war, Israel will finish it,” said Netanyahu in an address to the nation.

He said Israel has only just begun to hit Hamas and that the pictures of destruction in Gaza "are only the start. We have wiped out hundreds of terrorists and we won’t stop there." Wherever Hamas operates, “we will turn into a city of ruins.”