Israel rejects Hamas ceasefire demand to leave Gaza's Shifa - report

Israel vehemently rejected a Hamas demand for Israeli forces to retreat and withdraw from the Shifa Hospital in Gaza, N12 reported on Thursday.

As per the report, the Palestinian terrorist group's request came as a last-minute demand in the Qatar-mediated deal to release some 13 hostages for four days of ceasefire in the Strip.

IDF Spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari on Thursday evening noted that no aspect of the hostage deal is set in stone "until it happens...it is subject to changes," he said in a daily briefing.

"We have difficult days of grief and happiness ahead of us," Hagari said. "We embarked on a long journey and we have targets to achieve - destroy Hamas, bring the hostages home, and bring order to the region and our borders."

The spokesperson stressed that, as part of the agreement, Israeli forces will remain inside the ceasefire line marked inside the Gaza Strip. The IDF will have freedom of movement in that area for the duration of the ceasefire, he added.

The IDF and the Shin Bet confirmed having arrested the director of Shifa Hospital earlier on Thursday. 

Gaza ceasefire a 'brief respite,' war to continue for two months - Gallant

The ceasefire in Gaza is a "brief respite" from the war, which could last for a further two months, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Israeli forces from the IDF's elite Shayetet 13 Unit on Thursday.

"This respite will be brief,"  Gallant said, "what is expected of you is to get organized, prepare, examine, and re-arm ahead of what is next. There will be a continuation to the war because we must complete our victory," the defense minister added.

"There will be massive fighting over the next month or so," he told the fighters.