Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has threatened to forcibly evacuate all residents of Gaza City and displace about one million people if an Israeli soldier or civilian is abducted in the future.
Katz made the statement on Tuesday while speaking at a memorial marking the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He also threatened to destroy infrastructure in Gaza and said Israel would respond with further military action.
“I hereby warn the terrorist organisation and its supporters, from Iran to Erdogan — if a single Israeli soldier or civilian is kidnapped, the entire city of Gaza, with its houses and terror towers, will be evacuated southward with its million residents,” Katz said.
He was referring to Hamas and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a vocal critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Katz said Israel’s response would include evacuating the population, destroying infrastructure and taking control of territory. Such forced displacement of civilians and destruction of property may raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law.
Gaza City is home to about 1.1 million people, according to the municipality. The wider Gaza Strip has a population of roughly two million, many of whom have been displaced repeatedly during the conflict.
The October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel killed 1,221 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken to Gaza, according to Israeli figures cited in the report. Israel subsequently launched a large-scale military campaign in Gaza.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas, 73,919 people have been killed since the start of the war. The figures are generally considered reliable by international organisations, although they do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Katz also reiterated his warning that Israel could resume full-scale military operations in Gaza. He said Israel had agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire in October 2025 primarily to secure the release of remaining hostages.
His latest remarks come ahead of Israel’s October 27 elections, during which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing criticism from opposition groups over the October 7 attack and the outcome of the subsequent military campaign.
Katz also warned that Israel could launch further military action against Iran, saying that Israel would strike again if necessary until what he described as the “terrorist regime” was overthrown.
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