Tel Aviv, Dec 10(IANS): Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called upon Hamas terrorists to surrender to Israeli troops and urged them not to sacrifice their lives for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have entered the Khan Younis area in South Gaza where Sinwar is reported to be hiding.

Netyanahu's statement comes after the IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, had in a statement said that there were signs that Hamas was collapsing.

The Prime Minister in a video statement on Sunday said, "In the past few days, dozens of Hamas terrorists have surrendered before our forces. They put down their weapons and turn themselves over to our brave soldiers."

The IDF is searching every house in the Khan Younis area after there were intelligence reports that Yahya Sinwar had escaped to South Gaza in a humanitarian aid vehicle camouflaging himself.

Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had earlier publicly said that Yahya Sinwar would be killed.