Katz vows to destroy Gaza Metropolis until Hamas frees hostages, lays down arms

[ad_1] Protection Minister Israel Katz on Friday vowed that Israel would destroy Gaza Metropolis until the Hamas terror group releases the hostages and lays down its weapons.

Katz famous that the federal government on Thursday accepted the IDF’s plans to open the “gates of hell” and “defeat Hamas in Gaza,” because the army prepares to push into Gaza Metropolis in a brand new offensive geared toward conquering the Palestinian territory’s largest inhabitants middle.

The feedback got here hours after a worldwide starvation monitor declared for the primary time that famine had struck northern Gaza, a cost Israel swiftly denied, and as mediating nations made a last push to achieve a ceasefire and hostage launch deal earlier than Israel launches its deliberate assault.

“The gates of hell will quickly open over Hamas murderers and rapists in Gaza — till they comply with Israel’s circumstances for ending the battle, primarily the discharge of all hostages and their disarmament,” Katz stated.

If Hamas doesn’t capitulate, Gaza Metropolis “will change into Rafah and Beit Hanoun” — two cities which have been largely turned to rubble by Israeli army exercise, he declared.

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By signing up, you comply with the terms Whereas the deliberate growth of army operations in Gaza Metropolis has but to totally get underway, IDF Chief of Workers Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated Friday throughout a go to to the West Financial institution that the military is “increasing exercise in Gaza.”

Israel, which has referred to as up tens of hundreds of military reservists, is urgent forward with its plan to grab Gaza’s greatest city middle regardless of worldwide criticism of an operation prone to pressure the displacement of many extra Palestinians, and regardless of considerations by high safety officers that it might endanger the hostages.

IDF Chief of Workers Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir speaks to officers within the West Financial institution metropolis of Tulkarem, August 22, 2025. (Israel Protection Forces)

On the bottom, Gaza’s Hamas-run civil protection company stated Israeli fireplace killed not less than 46 folks on Friday, greater than half of them in Gaza Metropolis. Hamas figures can't be verified and don't distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Umm Mohammed Nasr, a 42-year-old mom of 4 from Gaza Metropolis, stated that “the bombing hasn’t stopped since this morning… however we do not know the place to go.”

“We're dying,” she stated.

Forward of the IDF’s upcoming offensive in Gaza Metropolis, Israel on Thursday warned medical amenities and worldwide organizations within the northern Strip to gear up for mass evacuations of civilians.

Hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza Metropolis have already left their houses as Israeli forces have escalated strikes on the Sabra and Tuffah neighborhoods. Some households have left for shelters alongside the coast, whereas others have moved to central and southern elements of the enclave, in response to residents there.

Palestinians transport their belongings on a donkey-pulled cart as they flee the Abu Iskandar neighborhood of northern Gaza Metropolis on August 22, 2025. (Bashar TALEB / AFP)

Hamas calls for Gaza border crossings open Additionally on Friday, Hamas referred to as for a right away finish to the battle in Gaza and lifting of Israeli-imposed restrictions on the circulate of support into the Strip after the United Nations Built-in Meals Safety Part Classification (IPC) system formally declared a famine in elements of the territory earlier within the day.

In an announcement revealed on-line, the phobia group referred to as for “rapid motion by the UN and the Safety Council to cease the battle and elevate the siege” and calls for that border crossings into Gaza be opened “with out restrictions to permit the pressing and steady entry of meals, drugs, water and gasoline.”

In accordance with the IPC report, an estimated 514,000 folks — or practically 1 / 4 of Gaza’s inhabitants — are experiencing famine, and that quantity is predicted to rise to 641,000 by the top of September.

A Palestinian lady pushes a toddler’s wheelchair as she flees with others from the Abu Iskandar neighborhood of northern Gaza Metropolis on August 22, 2025. (Bashar TALEB / AFP)

In accordance with the starvation monitor, Israel’s complete blockade on support from early March to mid-Could — which got here after the collapse of a ceasefire with Hamas — was adopted by “critically low volumes by July” and “coupled with the collapse of native meals manufacturing,” resulting in “excessive meals shortages.”

Israel resumed the provision of support in Could, however the circulate remained properly under what it had been previous to the blockade; it was solely in July, after stories of imminent famine, that Israel introduced a collection of actions to spice up the circulate of support into Gaza, whereas denying there was hunger within the enclave.

Israel swiftly denied the report, saying that the IPC depends on Hamas sources and accused the system of getting “twisted its personal guidelines” in declaring a famine.

PMO: IPC report is ‘fashionable blood libel’ In a Friday assertion, the Prime Minister’s Workplace referred to as the IPC famine declaration an “outright lie” and “fashionable blood libel.”

“Israel doesn't have a coverage of hunger. Israel has a coverage of stopping hunger,” the PMO stated.

The assertion stated the report by the IPC report ignores Israel’s humanitarian efforts and fails to say a drop within the costs of oil, sugar, salt, flour, yeast and chickpeas in Gaza that the PMO attributes to the entry of humanitarian provides into the Strip. The supply of the knowledge on the costs is unclear.

A truck transporting humanitarian support drives down a highway in Deir al-Balah within the central Gaza Strip on August 21, 2025. (Eyad BABA / AFP)

Citing knowledge from the Protection Ministry’s Coordinator of Authorities Actions within the Territories, Israel has facilitated the entry of thousands and thousands of tons of support into Gaza since battle there was triggered by the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, the PMO stated.

The assertion additionally stated the controversial US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Basis, in addition to NGOs facilitated by Israel, have served thousands and thousands of heat meals to Gazans.

However, the PMO cited UN knowledge as saying that in July, “of 1,012 support vehicles collected, solely 10 reached warehouses; the remaining had been looted earlier than distribution.” The PMO additionally accused the UN of getting refused to ship “a whole lot of pallets of meals” from the Kerem Shalom Crossing.

The PMO did concede that there had been “momentary shortages” of support in Gaza “which Israel overcame with airdrops, maritime deliveries, protected transport routes and GHF distribution factors manned by American firms,” however blamed the shortages on “Hamas’s systematic theft.”

Palestinians wait to obtain a scorching meal ready by volunteers, in Khan Younis, within the southern Gaza Strip, August 21, 2025. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

The assertion didn't point out the 11-week support blockade Israel imposed on the Strip following the collapse of the final ceasefire-hostage deal on March 2.

The battle was sparked by Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, wherein some 1,200 folks had been killed in Israel and 251 had been taken hostage to the Strip.

The Hamas-run Gaza well being ministry says greater than 62,000 folks within the Strip have been killed or are presumed useless within the preventing to date, although the toll can't be verified and doesn't differentiate between civilians and fighters.

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