Israel To Seize Additional Territory In Gaza If Hamas Keeps Refusing To Free Hostages, Minister Says

Israel is prepared to seize additional territory in the Gaza Strip and continue military operations until Hamas is completely dismantled, Reuters reported, quoting Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz as saying on Tuesday.

The warning comes amid Hamas’s refusal to release the remaining hostages held since the October 7, 2023 attack.

The recent flare-up follows the collapse of a two-month ceasefire on March 18, after failed negotiations to extend the truce. In response, Israeli forces initiated a focused ground operation in central and southern Gaza, resuming air and ground assaults that have resulted in several casualties, the report stated.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not accept Hamas governance or the group’s military presence in Gaza. The Israeli military is seeking to have Hamas release the remaining 59 hostages, with 24 of them still believed to be alive. ​

Katz warned that continued Hamas actions would lead to an intensified Israeli response, emphasising that these measures would persist until Hamas’s complete surrender.

“If Hamas continues with its intransigence, it will pay heavy prices that get higher and higher in the taking of territory (by Israel) and in taking out militants and terror infrastructure until its complete surrender,” Katz said in a video, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry reported over 50,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023.

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