Building collapse in Gaza kills 16 as perilous conditions persist for Palestinians during truce

Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, warned on Wednesday that the country is preparing to resume full-scale war in Gaza and remove its 2 million Palestinians. Katz's remarks came in response to criticism from another right-wing contender ahead of the upcoming October 27 elections. Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, 70 percent of Gaza had already been emptied of its population, reported Katz.

The US President Donald Trump's announced ceasefire in October 2025 was seen as a significant step towards returning the remaining hostages and ensuring a commitment from the United States to disarm Hamas. However, Katz emphasized that the Israeli military is ready to complete the job of eliminating Hamas once given the directive, including implementing the migration plan.

Katz mentioned that Israel has been considering removing Palestinians from Gaza by sea and land, but is awaiting guidance from the United States regarding where the 2 million people would relocate. The US ambassador Mike Huckabee had previously denied any plan to displace people against their will. Katz described the migration plan as voluntary, with most Palestinians expressing a desire to leave.

Nearly all of Gaza's population has been displaced internally, and most of the territory is now in ruins following the war. The Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, according to Agence France-Presse figures based on Israeli official data, marking the deadliest assault ever against Israel. Militants also took 251 hostages to Gaza.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 73,700 casualties, as reported by the territory's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations. Despite the 11-month-old ceasefire reducing the level of violence, Israel continues to carry out strikes in Gaza.

Since the ceasefire's inception, 1,375 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza health ministry. In late July, Hamas indicated readiness to disarm, a move that former US President Donald Trump hailed as a breakthrough. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the latest stage of the plan and stated that Israel will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas verifiably decommissions all weapons.