Hamas stood by its demand on Tuesday that Israel fully end its assault on Gaza under any deal to release hostages, and said U.S. President-elect Donald Trump was rash to say there would be "hell to pay" unless they go free by his Jan.

President-elect Donald Trump warned that if hostages still being held in Gaza are not released by the time he is inaugurated on January 20, “all hell will break out in the Middle East.”

Liri Albag, 19, is one of about 100 hostages believed to remain held in the enclave nearly 15 months after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel.

The deal would secure release of a third of the approximately 100 hostages who remain in Gaza, including two dual U.S.-Israeli nationals. In return, Israel would release some Palestinian prisoners.

More than 40 Palestinians have been killed in 15 Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip, according to the territory's Hamas-run Civil Defence service. The chief of Gaza's police force and his deputy were among 11 killed in an overnight attack on a tent camp for displaced families in the southern al-Mawasi "humanitarian zone", it said.

A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the 15-month war and return Israeli hostages before Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

A Hamas official said Sunday the group was ready to free 34 hostages in the "first phase" of a potential deal with Israel, after Israel said indirect talks on a