Amid ceasefire talks, the Israeli Defense Minister has warned Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Ben Zamin Katz stated that if Hamas does not comply with Israel's conditions, Gaza City could be destroyed.
Gaza Crisis: The Gaza crisis in the Middle East is intensifying. A day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the army to seize Gaza City, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas that if their conditions are not met, Gaza City could be devastated. He said Gaza's largest city could soon be transformed into areas like Rafah and Beit Hanoun.
Katz wrote in his social media post that "the gates of hell will open on the heads of Hamas' murderers and rapists" in Gaza unless they accept Israel's conditions for ending the war. He reiterated that Israel's conditions include the release of all hostages and the complete disarmament of Hamas. Hamas, on the other hand, has clarified that it is willing to consider the release of prisoners to end the war, but will not accept complete disarmament until a Palestinian state is established.
Israel's New Military Operation
The Israeli army reported that the Defense Minister has approved a new operation in the most densely populated areas of Gaza City. Under this operation, 60,000 new reserve soldiers will be called up, and the service period of 20,000 previously deployed reserve soldiers will be extended. According to a senior army official, the main goal of this operation is to destroy Hamas's underground tunnel network.
Most of the ground operations that have taken place in Gaza so far have focused on controlling less populated areas. However, in the new operation, Israel will also take action in those parts of Gaza City where the army has not yet had access.
New Ceasefire Proposals
Amidst the Israeli offensive, Hamas announced this week that it would accept the Egyptian and Qatari-mediated ceasefire proposal. If Israel had accepted it, the new offensive could have been averted. However, Netanyahu clarified in a meeting with the army's Gaza command unit that his goal is to defeat Hamas and rescue the hostages simultaneously. He instructed officials to immediately begin negotiations on Israel's conditions for the release of hostages and the end of the war.
The new ceasefire proposal, like the previous one, includes the release of some hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a process for the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and future negotiations on a permanent ceasefire.
Conditions in Gaza Continue to Worsen
The situation for civilians in Gaza is deteriorating day by day. Amidst starvation and water shortages, Israeli attacks killed at least 36 Palestinian civilians on Thursday. If a new offensive occurs, the number of deaths and displacements could increase further. Locals report that approximately 75% of Gaza is under Israeli control, but there is no safe place left anywhere. In Israel, people fear that this new offensive could prove fatal for the approximately 20 hostages who are still alive.
The international community's concern over the Middle East crisis is growing. Several global organizations, including the United Nations, are urging Israel and Hamas to ensure the safety of civilians and to immediately halt the violence. Many countries are drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and emphasizing the need for a ceasefire.
