During a memorial event honoring those who served in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning regarding the safety of Israeli citizens and soldiers. Katz declared that should any Israeli be kidnapped in the future, the military would move to force the entire population of Gaza City—estimated at one million people—to evacuate toward the south.

Katz specifically directed his comments at Hamas and international figures who have voiced opposition to Israel’s ongoing military operations, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Beyond the threat of mass displacement, the Defense Minister warned that the infrastructure of Gaza City would be destroyed in such a scenario. These remarks have drawn immediate scrutiny, as both the targeting of civilian infrastructure and the forced displacement of populations are widely regarded as violations of international law under the Geneva Conventions.