TEL AVIV/GAZA CITY: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has warned that Gaza City will be destroyed if Hamas refuses to surrender its weapons and release all remaining hostages.
His statement came shortly after the Israeli cabinet approved plans for a large-scale assault on Gaza City, despite growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis and widespread opposition to further escalation.
Earlier this week, Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal brokered by Qatar and Egypt that called for a 60-day truce and the release of half of the remaining hostages. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the arrangement, insisting that Israel would only accept terms ensuring the release of all captives and a definitive end to the war on Israel’s conditions.
Israeli officials believe that only about 20 of the 50 remaining hostages are still alive after nearly two years of conflict. Local media reported that negotiators will be dispatched for renewed talks once a venue is decided.
In a video statement during his visit to Israel’s Gaza Division headquarters, Netanyahu confirmed he had authorized the IDF’s operational plans for seizing Gaza City.
“I have instructed immediate negotiations for the release of all our hostages,” he said. “Defeating Hamas and freeing the captives are interconnected goals.”
Reinforcing that message, Defence Minister Katz wrote on social media:
“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas terrorists until they accept Israel’s conditions: the release of all hostages and their disarmament. If not, Gaza—the capital of Hamas—will face the same fate as Rafah and Beit Hanoun.”
Evacuation Warning
The Israeli military has reportedly advised international organizations and medical authorities to prepare for the evacuation of Gaza City’s one million residents to the south ahead of an anticipated ground assault.
Gaza’s health ministry, run by Hamas, rejected any steps that would further weaken what remains of its already fragile medical system.
The United Nations condemned the escalating strikes, citing “relentless bombardment” that has resulted in mass civilian casualties and widespread destruction. Aid agencies vowed to remain in Gaza to assist those unable or unwilling to flee.
Humanitarian Fears
Humanitarian groups warn that the planned offensive could worsen Gaza’s already dire situation. The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported last month that famine conditions are already unfolding across parts of the enclave.
Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will eventually take full control of the Gaza Strip after indirect talks on a ceasefire and hostage exchange collapsed last month.
The war began after Hamas launched a cross-border attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and capturing 251 others. Since then, at least 62,192 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry—figures that the UN and humanitarian groups consider the most credible available.
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