The IDF will permanently seize parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas doesn't release the hostages held in captivity, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday.
"I have instructed the IDF to seize additional areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers. The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel," Katz said.
"If the hostages are not released, Israel will continue to take more and more territory in the Strip for permanent control," he concluded.
On Thursday, Katz approved the continuation of military operations in Gaza.
Katz highlighted the importance of continuing the military pressure on Gaza until the hostages are released.
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