The Israeli military on Tuesday issued evacuation orders for the Gaza City residents ahead of its new offensive to take over the region, with Israel’s defence minister warning of ‘destruction, annihilation’.
Hamas has said that it was committed to releasing them all with a “clear announcement of an end to the war” and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.(Reuters)
Earlier on Monday, the military had warned residents of increased airstrikes and ground operations in the Gaza Strip, a move it termed a “mighty hurricane” if Hamas did not free the remaining hostages and surrender.
Israel has been pushing for the defeat of the Palestinian militant group and the release of the hostages taken during the October 2023 attacks on Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned, “I say to the residents of Gaza, you have been warned, get out of there!” He informed that the Israeli defense forces (IDF) had taken down 50 “terror towers” in the lead up to the forthcoming “ground operation” in Gaza City.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz took to X and warned, “A mighty hurricane will hit the skies of Gaza City today, and the roofs of the terror towers will shake.” He further said that this was the final warning to the “murderers and rapists of Hamas in Gaza and in the luxury hotels abroad”.
“Release the hostages and lay down your weapons – or Gaza will be destroyed, and you will be annihilated,” Katz said.
Netanyahu also said that Israel had no choice but to get the job done and defeat the militant group, given that it has refused to give up.
Hamas, which is currently reportedly studying the US ceasefire proposal, said it would not lay down arms unless an independent Palestinian state is established.
Washington delivered a new ceasefire proposal on Sunday, with US President Donald Trump warning that it was the militant group’s “last chance”. The newly proposed deal calls for the release of all 48 hostages on the first day of the ceasefire, during which negotiations to end the war would take place.
Hamas senior official Bassem Naim said on Monday that the US-proposed Gaza ceasefire deal amounted to “preliminary” ideas. In a post on his Telegram channel, Naim said, “It is clear that the primary goal is to reach the refusal of the offer and not reach an agreement that leads to the end of the war.”
Israel has reportedly accepted the proposal. Foreign minister Gideon Saar said that Israel was ready to accept a full deal ending the war.
Hamas has repeatedly said that it was holding on to the hostages until the completion of negotiations. It said that it was committed to releasing them all with a “clear announcement of an end to the war” and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Earlier, the IDF also bombed a 12-floor block in the middle of Gaza City, three hours after urging the displaced families, housing there, to move inside.
IDF said that Hamas militants who have “planted intelligence gathering means” and explosive devices had been operating near the building. They “have used it throughout the war to plan and advance terror attacks against IDF forces”, the military said.
Global critics have slammed Israel’s take over plan, which includes demilitarising the entire Gaza Strip, saying that it could deepen the humanitarian crisis of the 2.2 million population.
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas’ assault on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people and 251 were taken hostage, Jerusalem has taken control of 75 per cent of Gaza. Israeli authorities have said that 20 of the remaining 48 hostages in Gaza are alive.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry has said that Israel’s retaliatory assault has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians.