Israeli Defense Minister warns of Gaza City evacuation if any Israeli abducted

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated at a Yom Kippur War memorial ceremony that Israel will not withdraw from positions in Gaza until Hamas is removed and Gaza is demilitarized. Katz issued a warning to Hamas and its supporters, including Iran and Turkey's Erdoğan, that if any Israeli soldier or civilian is abducted, all of Gaza City and its million residents will be evacuated southward and the area will be dealt with similarly to Rafah, Beit Hanoun, and 70% of Gaza's territory. Katz said this approach—evacuation of population, destruction of infrastructure, and territorial control—is "the language that the jihadist terror organizations in Gaza and Lebanon understand."