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Gaza City will be evacuated, destroyed if one Israeli kidnapped, Katz
jpost.com • • world
Key Points:
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to destroy all remaining parts of Gaza City and forcibly evacuate around one million Gazans if Hamas, supported by Iran or Turkey, takes an Israeli hostage.
- Katz justified these threats as necessary deterrence against jihadist enemies and aggressive actions by Iran, Turkey, and proxies like Hamas.
- His statements may complicate Israel’s legal defense against genocide and war crimes accusations in The Hague by raising concerns about proportionality under international law.
- Critics could use Katz’s remarks to support negative public relations narratives against Israel, such as those presented in the NAZA documentary film.
- Katz also declared the IDF will not partially withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed, a stance likely to persist at least until after the US midterm elections on November 3, despite hints from US officials about possible future partial withdrawals.
