Israel Vows to Level Gaza City if Hamas Rejects Disarmament and Hostage Release Conditions

Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has issued a stark warning, declaring that Gaza City will be obliterated unless Hamas agrees to Israel’s terms for ending the ongoing war. These include the complete disarmament of the group and the release of all hostages still held in the territory.

“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon Hamas’s murderers and rapists in Gaza unless they comply with Israel’s demands—chiefly the release of all hostages and surrendering their weapons,” Katz stated on social media. He added that if Hamas refuses, “Gaza, the capital of Hamas, will become another Rafah or Beit Hanoun,” referencing two cities previously devastated by Israeli military action.

Katz’s statement followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement on Thursday night that he had instructed Israeli negotiators to begin urgent talks to secure the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza. Netanyahu emphasized that the rescue efforts would proceed in tandem with a military campaign to seize Gaza City and dismantle Hamas’s power base.

Earlier in the week, Israel’s defense ministry authorized the mobilization of approximately 60,000 reservists to support the planned operation. Netanyahu underscored that both goals—defeating Hamas and freeing the hostages—are interconnected. However, he did not disclose specific details about the next phase of negotiations.

This development comes as international mediators await an official Israeli response to a ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas earlier in the week. Palestinian sources suggest the plan involves a phased release of hostages, while Israel has insisted on the immediate release of all captives as a precondition.

Israel’s preparations to intensify military operations in Gaza City have drawn both global condemnation and internal dissent. The conflict began after Hamas’s October 2023 assault, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. Since then, over 62,000 Palestinians—primarily civilians—have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory campaign, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, figures deemed credible by the United Nations.