Israel Katz Warns Gaza City Will Be Evacuated If Hostages Taken

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Tuesday that if a single Israeli soldier or civilian is abducted, the entire city of Gaza will be evacuated. Katz made the remarks during a memorial ceremony at Mount Herzl, citing intelligence regarding potential threats.

IDF Operations and Security Stance

Katz emphasized that the IDF will not withdraw from the Yellow Line in Gaza until Hamas is dismantled, disarmed, and its tunnel infrastructure destroyed. He stated that any abduction attempt would prompt the mass evacuation of over a million residents from Gaza City southward, followed by intensive military operations similar to those in Rafah and Beit Hanoun.

If a single Israeli soldier or civilian is abducted, the entire city of Gaza, with its buildings and terror towers, will be evacuated southward—as we did in Gideon's Chariots II—and handled in the same manner as Rafah, Beit Hanoun, and 70% of Gaza's territory, until the hostages are returned.

Targeted Eliminations in Gaza

The warning follows increased vigilance orders given to IDF troops amid a series of targeted eliminations of senior terror commanders in the Strip. Recent strikes eliminated Rafah Brigade commander Nail Abu Obeid, northern Jabalia battalion commander Ahmed Batash, and Islamic Jihad rocket cell leader Muhsin Abu al-Dahaf. Additionally, Khan Yunis Brigade commander Muhammad Yazouri was killed in an airstrike in al-Mawasi.

Opposition MK Avigdor Lieberman dismissed Katz's statement as a joke, arguing that ongoing threats of abductions three years after the October 7 attacks reflect severe governmental failure and prove that Hamas has not been decisively defeated.