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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Tuesday to force out all of Gaza City's roughly 1.1 million residents if any Israeli soldier or civilian is abducted, warning Hamas and its supporters that the city would be "treated the same way as Rafah and Beit Hanoun" until any hostage is returned.
Speaking at a memorial ceremony for the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Katz claimed intelligence had indicated Hamas "intends" to abduct an Israeli soldier or civilian.
"In light of various intentions and information, I hereby warn the terror organization and its supporters, from Iran to Erdogan: if even one Israeli soldier or civilian is abducted, all of Gaza City, with its homes and terror towers, will be evacuated southward, along with a million of its residents, as we did in Gideon's Chariots B, and will be dealt with in the same way as Rafah, Beit Hanoun, and 70% of Gaza's territory, until his return," Katz said.
"This is the language that the terror organizations in Gaza and Lebanon understand, and this is the language we speak: evacuation of the population, destruction of infrastructure, and taking control of the territory," Katz said.
The forced displacement of civilians and destruction of infrastructure both constitute war crimes under the Geneva Conventions.
Katz also renewed his threat regarding Iran, saying Israel would strike the country again if necessary, saying, "The work is not yet finished, and if we need to, we will strike a third time until the terrorist regime is overthrown and eliminated."
The U.S. and Israel jointly attacked Iran in late February, with an initial Israeli strike killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Israel halted its campaign in April after U.S. President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire and sought a negotiated settlement to a war that sharply raised oil prices and proved highly unpopular among American voters.
Gaza City is home to around 1.1 million people, according to the municipality, while the entire Gaza Strip holds roughly 2 million people who, after nearly three years of war, have been packed into the 30% of the territory not controlled by Israel.
Israel's subsequent offensive has displaced virtually the entire population of Gaza at least once and killed 73,919 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
Katz's remarks come ahead of Israel's Oct. 27 elections, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces opposition criticism over his failure to prevent the Oct. 7 attack and to deliver a decisive military outcome afterward.
Katz has previously said Israel agreed to the October 2025 U.S.-brokered ceasefire declaration only to secure the release of remaining hostages, and that he expects Israel, which has continued strikes at a reduced pace, to eventually return to full-scale war in Gaza.
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