Katz said the IDF has been instructed to evacuate civilians from targeted areas and establish long-term Israeli control. “The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose,” he declared. “I have directed the IDF to expand the maneuver, take control of more ground and hold it permanently to protect Israeli communities and soldiers.”
In the absence of progress, Katz warned of intensified military pressure. “We will escalate our campaign—by air, sea and ground—until the hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated,” he said, vowing to use “all military and civilian means of pressure.”
IDF airstrikes in Khan Younis, Gaza
Hamas seized on Bar’s remarks, accusing Netanyahu of being “the real obstacle” to any deal. “His efforts to remove key security officials from the talks reflect his internal political crisis and growing distrust between him and Israel’s security establishment,” Hamas said in its statement. “This confirms that Netanyahu engineered the talks as a time-wasting maneuver, with no intention of achieving tangible results.”
The group also sought to drive a wedge between Jerusalem and Washington, calling on U.S. officials to “stop blaming Hamas for failed agreements” and to “hold Netanyahu accountable for the ongoing suffering of the hostages and their families.”
