Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Tuesday to step up pressure on Hamas in war-torn Gaza after the United States criticized the high civilian death toll in recent attacks.

Hamas, the Palestinian group that rules Gaza, has been declared a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.

Netanyahu has defended Israel's approach to the war that has been going on for more than nine months, saying that "Hamas is under pressure."

"They are facing increasing pressure because we are hurting them, eliminating top commanders and thousands of terrorists. They are under pressure because of our clear demands, despite all the pressure," he said, apparently referring to international concerns about the number of civilian casualties in Gaza.

"This is exactly the time to increase the pressure even more, to bring home all the hostages - living and dead - and to fulfill all the objectives of the war," Netanyahu said.

His comments come as Israel has stepped up attacks in the besieged Palestinian territory.

According to some witnesses in Gaza, three airstrikes left more than 40 people dead within an hour on Tuesday.

At the weekend, it was reported that more than 90 people were killed, as a result of Israeli bombings in safe areas.

Netanyahu said that the military chief of Hamas, Mohammed Deif, and one of his deputies were targeted in that operation.

The war, which began on October 7 last year, was instigated by Hamas, after the group's militants carried out attacks in southern Israel, killing more than 1.200 Israelis and taking about 240 hostages.

About 116 hostages are believed to be still in Gaza, including 42 that the Israeli military believes have been killed.

Israel then launched a campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas.

As a result of Israel's ground and air offensive in that region, more than 38.000 Palestinians have been killed, the Palestinian health authorities report./REL/