During a meeting on Wednesday with IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and senior military officials, Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the army to formulate a full-scale operational plan to defeat Hamas in Gaza, should the terror group reject US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative and renewed fighting become necessary.
The Defense Ministry stressed that Trump’s plan requires Hamas to release all hostages, return the bodies of deceased hostages, and disarm. In coordination with an international force led by the United States, Israel would work to dismantle all terror tunnels and infrastructure in Gaza, ensuring the area is fully demilitarized and no longer poses a threat to the State of Israel.
“If Hamas refuses to honor the agreement, Israel, in cooperation with the United States, will resume combat operations, pursue the complete defeat of Hamas, and work toward a fundamental transformation of the situation in Gaza and the achievement of all war objectives,” Katz stated.
On Wednesday evening, Hamas transferred two coffins containing the bodies of hostages to the Red Cross. In a statement, the terror organization claimed it had returned all living hostages, along with the remains of those it was able to recover.
“As for the remaining bodies, locating and retrieving them requires significant effort and specialized equipment,” Hamas’s military wing said.
Israeli officials rejected the claim, asserting that Hamas is still capable of locating at least ten additional bodies. In the coming days, Egyptian and Turkish teams are expected to operate in Gaza in an effort to recover more remains.