Israeli minister vows to force out all of Gaza City if any Israeli abducted

Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, warned on Tuesday that Gaza City would be evacuated if any Israeli citizen were taken hostage in the future. This announcement was made during a memorial service for the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Katz also threatened to destroy infrastructure in Gaza, an act that would be considered a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.

He addressed the threat to the terrorist organisation, Hamas, and its supporters, including Iran and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Katz stated that the evacuation and destruction of infrastructure would be understood by jihadist terrorist organisations in Gaza and Lebanon. Gaza City, with approximately 1.1 million residents, is part of a larger population of about two million people in the Gaza Strip.

The current conflict has displaced nearly the entire population at least once, resulting in over 73,000 casualties, according to the Gaza health ministry. Katz had previously stated that Israel agreed to the October 2025 US-brokered ceasefire solely to free remaining hostages and expected a return to full-scale war in Gaza. The comments come ahead of Israel's upcoming general elections, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces criticism for failing to prevent the attack and deliver military success afterward.

Katz also threatened to continue the war against Iran and hinted at a potential third strike if necessary. The US and Israel jointly attacked Iran in late February, with Israel reluctantly halting its campaign in April after US President Donald Trump called for a ceasefire.