JERUSALEM: Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Friday it was time to use "full force" in Gaza, after Hamas said a new US-backed truce proposal failed to meet its demands.

"Mr Prime Minister, after Hamas rejected the deal proposal again - there are no more excuses," Ben Gvir said on his Telegram channel.

"The confusion, the shuffling and the weakness must end. We have already missed too many opportunities. It is time to go in with full force, without blinking, to destroy and kill Hamas to the last one."

The White House said on Thursday that President Donald Trump and US envoy Steve Witkoff had "submitted a ceasefire proposal to Hamas that Israel backed".

"Israel signed off on this proposal before it was sent to Hamas," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, adding discussions were "continuing" with the militants.

Israel has not confirmed that it approved the new proposal.

Hamas sources said last week the group had accepted a US-backed deal, but on Thursday political bureau member Bassem Naim said the new version meant "the continuation of killing and famine... and does not meet any of our people's demands, foremost among them halting the war".

"Nonetheless, the movement's leadership is studying the response to the proposal with full national responsibility," he added.

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