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

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has warned that Israel will force the entire population of Gaza City, numbering around 1.1 million, to evacuate if any Israeli citizen is abducted in the future. Making this statement at a memorial for the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Katz threatened further destruction of infrastructure, a move that would be considered a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.

He directed these threats at Hamas and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, both of whom are outspoken critics of Israel's Gaza campaign. Katz believes that such a warning would resonate with jihadist terrorist organisations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Gaza City, home to over a million people, is the most densely populated area within the Gaza Strip, which currently houses nearly two million people after a prolonged three-year conflict.

The Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,221 Israelis and the kidnapping of 251 hostages, 44 of whom have since died. Israel's retaliatory offensive has displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, with the health ministry reporting 73,919 casualties. Israel initially agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire in October 2025 solely to secure the release of hostages, but Katz expects a return to full-scale war in Gaza.

His comments come ahead of Israel's upcoming October 27 elections, as opposition leaders criticize Netanyahu for failing to prevent the attack and achieve military success afterward. Katz has also vowed to return to war with Iran, whose theocratic government backs Hamas, and has threatened to launch a third strike against Iran if necessary.