BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has threatened to forcibly displace residents of Gaza City, after saying that “various intentions and intelligence” indicate Hamas is planning new kidnappings of Israelis.
“In light of various intentions and intelligence, I warn the terror organisation and its supporters, from Iran to [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan: If even one Israeli soldier or civilian is kidnapped, the entire Gaza City’s … one million residents will be evacuated southward,” Katz said at an annual memorial ceremony for Israeli soldiers killed in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.
Katz, who has previously faced controversy over his public statements, has intensified his remarks ahead of next month’s elections in Israel.
