Israel will 'finish the job' in Gaza and remove Palestinians, defense minister says

Israel's defense minister said Wednesday it was only a matter of time before the country resumes full-scale war in Gaza and moves to force out its two million Palestinians.

Israel Katz, who is known for outspoken remarks, was responding to criticism from another right-wing contender ahead of October 27 elections.

What did Israel's defense minister say about Gaza?

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli military stands ready to eliminate Hamas and implement what he calls a "migration plan" for Gaza's Palestinians. He said 70 percent of Gaza's population had already been emptied out during the offensive launched after Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack.

Katz said an October 2025 ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump had "supreme value for all Israelis" by returning the remaining hostages and securing "a commitment by the United States" to disarm Hamas. "We all understand that this is not going to happen, and the IDF is prepared, once given the directive to eliminate Hamas, to finish the job so that we can also implement the migration plan," Katz said in a statement, referring to the Israeli military.

What is Israel's plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza?

Katz said earlier this month that Israel was ready to remove Palestinians from Gaza by sea and land but was waiting on the United States, which he said was still discussing where the two million people would go. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee has denied any plan to "displace people out of Gaza against their will." Katz has described the migration plan as voluntary, saying most Palestinians wanted to leave.

Nearly all of Gaza's population has been internally displaced, and most of the territory lies in rubble after the war.

What has happened since the Gaza ceasefire began?

The Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023 killed 1,221 people, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures, the deadliest attack ever against Israel. Militants also took 251 hostages into Gaza. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has since killed more than 73,700 people, according to the territory's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority, does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, and whose figures the United Nations considers reliable.

The 11-month-old ceasefire has reduced the level of violence, but Israel has continued to carry out strikes in Gaza. A total of 1,375 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hamas said in late July that it was ready to disarm, a move Trump hailed as a breakthrough.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the latest stage of the plan. He has said there will be no Israeli withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas verifiably decommissions all its weapons.