Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has warned that if Hamas refuses to accept Israel’s conditions, “the gates of hell” will be unleashed on the group.
Katz stated that Israel’s demands include the release of hostages and the disarmament of Hamas. If these are not met, he warned, Gaza City would face the same fate as Rafah and Beit Hanoun—two areas that were extensively destroyed during previous Israeli military operations.
Hamas, however, has maintained that it will not agree to disarm unless an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is established.
Israel considers Hamas’ disarmament a non-negotiable condition for any ceasefire agreement. The ongoing war has so far claimed the lives of more than 62,000 Palestinians.
Arab mediators have been awaiting an official response from Israel regarding the latest ceasefire proposal, which reportedly includes the release of half of the Israeli hostages by Hamas in exchange for the partial release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
