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(Share)         (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.jpost.com/)      Follow us on Google     (Defense Minister Israel Katz.) (Defense Minister Israel Katz.)   Defense Minister Israel Katz. (photo credit: Nick Paleologos/SOOC/AFP via Getty Images )    By (https://www.jpost.com/author/yonah-jeremy-bob) YONAH JEREMY BOB    SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 11:57  Updated:  SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 21:58   Defense Minister(https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-907444) Israel Katz on Tuesday threatened to destroy all that remains of Gaza City and to force around one million Gazans to evacuate if Hamas, provoked by Iran or Turkey, takes a single Israeli hostage.  Katz said he was responding to the increasing threat of potential aggressive actions by Iran, Turkey, and proxies, including Hamas.   The defense minister said that such threats were the only way to deter Israel’s jihadist enemies from attacking.  While a theoretical statement – possibly a popular one within Israel – Katz’s threat may make the lives of Israeli lawyers trying to defend the Jewish state in The Hague from genocide and war crimes accusations more difficult in convincing judges that Israel’s leaders honor the proportionality rules of international law.  Further, in the public relations sphere, critics of Israel may use his statement to bolster allegations they recently broadcast via the (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-909190) NAZA documentary film – though the film itself reportedly provides few specific, concrete incidents.   (Smoke rises following an Israeli military strike in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 6, 2025.)  Smoke rises following an Israeli military strike in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 6, 2025. (credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90)    Katz: IDF will not partially withdraw until Hamas fully disarms  In addition, Katz said that the IDF would not make any partial withdrawals from the 63% of Gaza that the military currently controls back to either the 53% point, or the approximately 30% point or 15% point, until (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-908839) Hamas is fully disarmed .  This statement will likely hold true until at least the United States’ midterm elections on November 3.  However, after that date, the Trump administration will renew its push for Israel to make partial Gaza withdrawals in exchange for Hamas taking partial disarmament actions, according to numerous public hints by (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-908465) US foreign affairs envoy Jared Kushner .      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