Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Katz stated that if Hamas does not disarm and release all hostages, Gaza City will face destruction. This announcement follows the Israeli Cabinet’s approval for a significant military operation in Gaza, despite international and domestic backlash. Hamas recently agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, which includes the potential release of some hostages.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected this ceasefire unless it includes the release of all hostages and an end to the conflict, stating only 20 out of the 50 hostages are believed to be alive. Netanyahu emphasized that negotiations for hostages’ release would begin immediately and linked military action to the defeat of Hamas.
Katz warned that failure to comply would result in Gaza, called Hamas’s capital, becoming akin to other cities flattened in previous conflicts. The Israeli Defense Forces have alerted healthcare and aid organizations to prepare for the evacuation of Gaza’s population ahead of military actions. Humanitarian groups are concerned that renewed military operations will exacerbate the ongoing humanitarian crisis, with reports of severe hunger and ongoing civilian casualties in Gaza.
Since the conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, following a major Hamas-led attack on Israel, casualty figures in Gaza have soared, with estimates indicating over 62,192 deaths.
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