Israel launched renewed ground operations in Gaza, on Wednesday (Mar 19), issuing a "last warning" to residents to return hostages and dismantle Hamas' control. 

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This comes after Israel conducted this week's deadliest wave of air strikes since the start of a truce in January, killed over 400 people, mostly women and children, and injured more than 560.

"Over the past 24 hours, IDF (military) forces have 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 of the Strip," the army said in a statement.

"Residents of Gaza, this is the last warning," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. 

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"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," Katz added.

He said this referring to US President Donald Trump's warning earlier this month, who said, "To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!"

White House says Hamas chose war by refusing to release hostages

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The United States, on Tuesday (Mar 18), lashed out at Hamas, stating that the Palestinian militant group chose war by refusing to release hostages, sparking Israel's most intense strikes since the ceasefire.  

"Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war," National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement.

This came after Hamas, on Tuesday (Mar 18), confirmed that the head of its government in the Gaza Strip, Essam al-Dalis, was among the officials killed in Israeli strikes on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

"These leaders, along with their families, were martyred after being directly targeted by the Zionist occupation forces' aircraft," said the Hamas statement.

It further said that interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa and Bahjat Abu Sultan, director-general of the internal security service, were also killed in the strikes.

Dalis, a prominent Hamas member, was elected to the movement's Gaza leadership in March 2021. Just a few months later, in June, he took on the significant role of heading the Government Administrative Committee of the Gaza Strip, effectively serving as the head of government.

(With inputs from agencies)