Defense Minister Warns Hamas: Kidnapping Israeli Will Lead to Gaza Evacuation

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Hamas during a memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers of the Yom Kippur War, stating that the kidnapping of a single Israeli soldier or civilian would result in the evacuation of Gaza City's entire population of one million people to the south. Katz declared that Gaza City, its homes, and its "terror towers" would be treated similarly to how Rafah and Khan Younis were handled, emphasizing that this is the language terrorist organizations understand: population evacuation, infrastructure destruction, and territorial seizure.

Katz also addressed Iran and Turkey, warning them against attempting to harm Israelis and asserting that Israel would respond in a manner understood by terror groups. He highlighted that, learning from the October 7th attacks and the Yom Kippur War, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintain powerful security zones beyond the borders in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, and will not withdraw until war objectives are met.

Regarding the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, Katz reiterated that Israel will not retreat from its current positions until Hamas is completely eliminated and the Strip is demilitarized of weapons and tunnels. He also touched upon the Iranian front, revealing that Israel had already carried out two significant preemptive strikes against Iran, neutralizing the threat of nuclear annihilation. Katz affirmed that Israel would not hesitate to launch a third strike if necessary to overthrow the Iranian regime.

The Defense Minister's remarks underscored a firm stance against terrorism and a commitment to achieving Israel's security objectives, drawing parallels between current operations and historical conflicts.