If Hamas refuses to disarm and free all hostages, Israel’s defense minister threatens to destroy Gaza City.
Israel Katz’s remarks followed the Israeli cabinet’s approval of plans for a massive attack on Gaza City in spite of strong domestic and international opposition.
A proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, which Qatar claims would see the release of half of the remaining hostages in Gaza, was accepted by Hamas on Monday by mediators from Qatar and Egypt.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, has reportedly rejected this, stating that he has directed talks to start in order to end the war in Gaza and free all hostages who are still alive on “acceptable to Israel” terms.
Israel believes that only 20 of the 50 hostages are still alive after 22 months of war.
Israeli media has cited an Israeli official as saying negotiators will be dispatched for renewed talks once a location has been determined.
In a video statement during a visit to the Gaza division’s headquarters in Israel on Thursday night, Netanyahu said he had “instructed to immediately begin negotiations for the release of all our hostages”.
“I have come to approve the IDF’s [Israel Defense Forces] plans to take control of Gaza City and defeat Hamas,” he said.
“These two matters – defeating Hamas and releasing all our hostages – go hand in hand,” Netanyahu added, without providing details about what the next stage of talks would entail.
Reinforcing Netanyahu’s message, Defence Minister Katz posted on social media on Friday: “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.
“If they do not agree, Gaza, the capital of Hamas, will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun,” he added.
Both cities have been reduced to ruins following Israeli military operations.