Israel’s defence minister has warned that Gaza City will be destroyed unless Hamas agrees to disarm and release all hostages, as the Israeli government approved plans for a major military assault on the enclave.
The threat came after Hamas accepted a Qatari- and Egyptian-brokered proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that would see half of the remaining hostages freed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, rejected the offer, saying Israel would pursue terms that included the release of all hostages and a definitive end to the war.
Israel believes only 20 of the 50 hostages are still alive nearly two years after the conflict began. Netanyahu confirmed he had authorised the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to begin preparations to seize Gaza City, describing the twin objectives of defeating Hamas and securing the hostages as inseparable.
Defence Minister Israel Katz reinforced the message, warning on social media: “Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas’s murderers and rapists in Gaza… If they do not agree, Gaza, the capital of Hamas, will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun.” Both cities have been left in ruins after previous IDF operations.
The IDF has reportedly instructed medical officials and aid organisations to prepare for the evacuation of Gaza City’s one million residents before a full-scale assault begins. The Hamas-run health ministry condemned any such plan, while the UN warned that relentless bombardments were already causing mass civilian casualties and further strain on Gaza’s devastated health system.
Humanitarian agencies fear a looming catastrophe, with the UN-backed food security body warning that the “worst-case scenario of famine” is unfolding in Gaza.
The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, at least 62,192 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry, whose figures are cited by the UN as the most credible available.