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By Shane Croucher and Robert Birsel
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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to turn Gaza City "into Rafah and Beit Hanoun," meaning leaving it in ruins, unless the militant group Hamas agrees to Israel's conditions for ending the war.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are preparing for a fresh offensive into Gaza City, which was approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, August 21. Netanyahu has said Israel intends to fully occupy the Gaza Strip.
Why It Matters
Israel's military says it controls about 75 percent of Gaza. Most of its population of about 2 million has been displaced multiple times in the past 22 months, following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks that claimed the lives of about 1,200 people, most of them civilians.
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Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza since then has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in the enclave.
Aid groups are now warning of looming famine.
Israel's initial announcement on August 8 of the plan to take over Gaza City, and eventually implement "Israeli security control" of the entire Gaza Strip, drew widespread criticism, including from some Western governments.
Foreign ministers from the U.K., Germany, Italy, New Zealand and Australia released a joint statement rejecting the plan, saying it would "aggravate" the already "catastrophic" situation in Gaza.
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What To Know
The Israeli military plan for its offensive to take over Gaza City will focus on "terror infrastructure," in particular a tunnel network, and securing the release of all hostages, an Israeli military official said this week.
Gaza City is in the north of the 26-mile coastal enclave and has been devastated by Israeli military strikes over the past 22 months. At least 50,000 reservists are to be called up for the operation, bringing total troop strength to 120,000.
Katz, in a post on X on Friday morning, issued a stark warning to Hamas.
"Soon the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas murderers and rapists in Gaza—until they agree to Israel's conditions for ending the war, foremost among them the release of all hostages and the dismantling of their weapons," Katz said in his post, which was originally in Hebrew.
"If they do not agree—Gaza, Hamas's capital, will turn into Rafah and Beit Hanoun. Exactly as I promised—so it shall be."
Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, and Beit Hanoun, in the north, have both been devastated by Israeli attacks.
Gaza City is Hamas' military and governing stronghold, atop of what Israel believes is an extensive tunnel network. It is also sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians and still houses some of the strip's critical infrastructure and health facilities.
Hamas said this week that it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Arab mediators, which -- if accepted by Israel -- could forestall the offensive.
The parties do not negotiate directly and similar announcements have been made in the past that did not lead to ceasefires.
The proposal outlines a phased deal involving hostage and prisoner exchanges and a pullback of Israeli troops, while talks continue on a longer-term ceasefire.
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What People Are Saying
Netanyhu said in a video address after visiting the military's Gaza Division on Thursday: "We are at the stage of decision...Today I came to the Gaza Division to approve the plans that the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] presented to me and to the minister of defense for taking control of Gaza City and defeating Hamas."
What Happens Next
Diplomatic tensions across the Middle East are set to rise.
Update 8/22/2025 4:35 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include more information.
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