Published on, Aug. 22 -- August 22, 2025 4:16 PM

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned on Friday that Gaza City would face complete destruction if Hamas refused to disarm, release all hostages, and accept Israel's conditions for ending the war.

Katz declared that Israel would unleash devastating force on Hamas unless the group agreed to surrender its weapons and free hostages, stressing that Gaza City would face the same fate as destroyed Rafah and Beit Hanoun.

The warning followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that he had ordered urgent negotiations for the release of hostages, which he said would run alongside Israel's planned military operation to seize Gaza City.

Meanwhile, the UN has cautioned that expand...