The US blasted contentious statements made by Israeli ministers on Tuesday that Palestinians should be encouraged to leave Gaza and Jewish settlers should be encouraged to return to the beleaguered area.
"The United States strongly opposes recent statements by Israeli Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir advocating for Palestinian resettlement outside of Gaza. This rhetoric is offensive and reckless," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement that underlined the US view that "Gaza is Palestinian land and will remain Palestinian land."
According to three security sources, senior Hamas official Saleh Al Arouri was killed on Tuesday night in an Israeli drone hit on Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahiyeh.
In response to the Reuters inquiry, the Israeli military stated that it does not reply to international media reporting. Arouri was a key leader in Hamas's politburo and was also heavily involved in the organization's military activities.
Meanwhile, Hamas has confirmed the death of Arouri, who was the group's deputy politburo leader.