Israel’s defense minister: Israel will not stop until all hostages are released

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel will continue its operations against Hamas “until all hostages held by the radicals are freed.”

“We will not stop until our hostages are released and Hamas is no longer in control of the Gaza Strip and is no longer a threat to Israel and Israelis,” the Israeli defense minister wrote on X.

Katz noted that Israel “is fighting Hamas and will defeat Hamas,” but “is not fighting the civilians in Gaza and is doing everything that international law requires to mitigate harm to civilians.”

“But when Hamas fights in civilian dress, from civilian homes, and from behind civilians, it puts civilians in danger and they pay a horrible price. That is why we are urging Gazans to evacuate combat zones,” the official said.