Israel resumed ground operations in Gaza and issued what it called a “last warning” for Palestinians to return hostages and remove Hamas from power, AFP reports.

The Israeli military said it had “begun targeted ground operations in the central and southern Gaza Strip to expand the security perimeter and create a partial buffer between the north and south”.

Addressing the “residents of Gaza” — governed by Hamas since 2007 — Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a video: “This is the last warning.”

“Take the advice of the president of the United States. Return the hostages and remove Hamas, and other options will open up for you — including the possibility of leaving for other places in the world for those who want to.”