Casablanca – Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz gravely warned on Friday that Gaza City would be destroyed if Hamas refuses to disarm and release all hostages, escalating fears of an imminent full-scale genocidal attack on the besieged enclave.
The statement came one day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he had approved the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) plans to take control of Gaza City, despite international appeals to prevent further civilian suffering.
“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas’ murderers and rapists in Gaza – until they agree to Israel’s conditions for ending the war,” Katz wrote on social media.
“If they do not agree, Gaza, the capital of Hamas, will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun,” he added, referencing two cities left in ruins by previous Israeli full-scale attacks.
The threat follows Hamas’ acceptance earlier this week of a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire. The plan, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, would see the release of half of the remaining hostages in Gaza, according to officials.
Netanyahu, however, dismissed the offer, insisting on the release of all the hostages and ending his genocidal war “on terms acceptable to Israel.”Read also: UN Confirms Famine in Northern Gaza
