Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to ramp up the pressure on Hamas as hopes fade for a US-announced ceasefire plan, AFP reports.

The Israeli military said it had carried out 25 strikes in 24 hours, targeting “military structures, terrorist infrastructure, terrorist cells and rigged structures”. It said its troops were also “continuing precise, intelligence-based operational activity” around the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Netanyahu, who has repeatedly vowed to destroy Hamas, insisted that despite the pressure Israel was coming under, there could be no let-up in Israel’s campaign against the militants.

“This is exactly the time to increase the pressure even more, to bring home all the hostages — the living and the dead — and to achieve all the war objectives,” he said.