Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued a stark warning to Hamas, threatening the destruction of Gaza City if the militant group refuses to disarm, release all remaining hostages, and accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war.
“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas’s murderers and rapists in Gaza — until they agree to Israel’s conditions for ending the war, primarily the release of all hostages and their disarmament,” Katz wrote in a social media post.
He added that if Hamas continues to resist, “Gaza, the capital of Hamas, will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun,” referencing two Gazan cities that were heavily devastated during previous Israeli military operations.
The statement comes as Israel signals preparations for an expanded offensive in the enclave. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had authorised the military to seize Gaza City. He also ordered immediate negotiations aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages.
The warnings mark a critical escalation in rhetoric as the conflict continues to intensify, with both Israeli leadership and Hamas showing little sign of compromise. Analysts say the future of Gaza City now hangs on whether negotiations move forward or Israel presses ahead with a major military assault.
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