Defense Minister Israel Katz vows “unrelenting escalation” after the IDF ordered evacuations in Gaza City ahead of strikes, declaring Hamas must surrender or be destroyed.
Israel signaled a major escalation in Gaza Friday as the IDF issued an initial evacuation notice to residents of a multi-story Hamas terror hub in Gaza City, ahead of an imminent strike.
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the move marks a turning point in the war. “Now the lock on the hell gates in Gaza has been opened,” Katz declared. “Once the door opens, it will not close, and IDF operations will continue to intensify — until Hamas murderers and rapists accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war, foremost among them the release of all hostages and disarmament — or they will be destroyed.”
Simultaneously, the IDF dropped evacuation leaflets over the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, where Israeli forces are operating on the outskirts. The army confirmed ongoing heavy combat in the Jabaliya area and along Gaza City’s perimeter, with Givati Brigade and Brigade 401 units under Division 162 spearheading the offensive.
In the last 24 hours, IDF troops eliminated multiple Hamas terrorists, destroyed key terror infrastructure, and cleared explosive-rigged sites as part of the broader push into northern Gaza.
The message from Jerusalem is clear: Israel’s military campaign is entering a new, harsher phase—one in which Hamas faces only two options: capitulation or destruction.
