Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued a stark warning that Gaza City would face complete destruction if Hamas fails to comply with Israel’s demands to disarm, release all remaining hostages, and agree to end the war on Israel’s terms.
“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas’s murderers and rapists in Gaza – until they accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war, primarily the release of all hostages and their disarmament,” Katz declared in a statement shared on social media.
He further warned: “If they do not agree, Gaza, the capital of Hamas, will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun,” referencing two Palestinian cities heavily destroyed during previous Israeli military campaigns.
The Defence Minister’s remarks came shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed he had ordered urgent negotiations to secure the release of all hostages still held in Gaza. Netanyahu stressed that the effort to free captives would run parallel to Israel’s planned military operation to seize control of Gaza City and dismantle Hamas’s main stronghold.
Earlier this week, Israel’s Defence Ministry approved the mobilisation of about 60,000 reservists to support the looming operation. “Defeating Hamas and releasing our hostages go hand in hand,” Netanyahu said in a video message, without disclosing details of the next negotiation phase.
The latest escalation follows reports that Hamas accepted a new ceasefire proposal involving staggered hostage releases, while Israel insists all captives must be freed simultaneously. Mediators have been awaiting an official Israeli response.
Israel’s plans to intensify its offensive in Gaza have provoked international criticism and sparked growing domestic opposition. The war, now nearing a year, traces back to Hamas’s October 2023 assault on Israel, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to official figures.
Since then, Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed over 62,000 Palestinians — most of them civilians — according to Gaza’s health ministry, whose figures are deemed credible by the United Nation.
