Israel's military has announced that the ground operation in Gaza would be cancelled if Hamas surrendered "unconditionally" and released all the hostages.
During an interview with Australian ABC Radio, Israeli army spokesman Jonathan Conricus said "if Hamas comes out of its hideouts... and returns all of our 212 hostages and surrender unconditionally, the war will end".
"If they don't do it, we'll probably have to go in and get it done," he added.
Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant said the ground operation in Gaza must be the last maneuver because after it there will be no Hamas movement.
It is more than two weeks since the conflict in Gaza erupted, with the death toll in Gaza touching 4,651 and injuries at 14,245.
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