Tel Aviv — Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, issued one of the starkest ultimatums of the war, declaring that Gaza City would be “destroyed” if Hamas fails to meet Israeli conditions that include releasing hostages and disarming its fighters. The statement came as Israel prepared for a new wave of military escalation, intensifying fears of mass civilian deaths.
Katz’s warning, delivered on social media, carried an apocalyptic tone: “The gates of hell will open,” he said, vowing Gaza would face annihilation unless Hamas surrenders. His comments underscored a growing sense that Israel is not interested in a negotiated peace, but instead seeks to force Gaza into unconditional capitulation.
The Israeli leadership has increasingly framed the war as an existential struggle, brushing aside mounting global condemnation over the scale of genocide in Gaza. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, hospitals repeatedly targeted, and aid routes strangled, leaving nearly a million displaced Palestinians trapped in desperate conditions. Human rights groups have described Israel’s military strategy as collective punishment, amounting to war crimes.
Analysts say Katz’s remarks reflect Israel’s broader military doctrine, where pressure on civilians is weaponized to extract political concessions from resistance groups. Yet such threats only deepen Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe. The idea of “destroying” a city of over a million residents evokes parallels with some of history’s darkest campaigns of annihilation, fueling comparisons to genocide and ethnic cleansing.
International actors, including the UN and the Red Cross, have warned that an assault on Gaza City would trigger catastrophic consequences. Even Washington, Israel’s closest backer, has faced domestic and international criticism for providing political cover and weapon supplies to a state accused of systematic violations of international law.
For Hamas, the demand to disarm and release hostages without guarantees of ending the siege or halting Israeli operations is seen as little more than a call for unconditional surrender. With Gaza already devastated, the group faces a dilemma between survival and capitulation, while civilians continue to pay the heaviest price.
The escalation comes as Israel’s war cabinet debates the next phase of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, a campaign that has already mobilized tens of thousands of reservists. The operation, framed as a decisive push into Gaza City, has been condemned by observers as a deliberate march toward destruction rather than a genuine search for security.
According to Mehr News, Katz’s threats signal Israel’s intent to unleash a full-scale offensive if Hamas does not bow to the ultimatum, a stance that international humanitarian organizations say could plunge Gaza into irreversible ruin.
