Israeli troops are seen near the southern Israeli border with Gaza, on March 18, 2025. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday warned Hamas that unless all hostages are freed, the military assault on Gaza, which has already claimed the lives of more than 400 Palestinians, will intensify. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)
JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday warned Hamas that unless all hostages are freed, the military assault on Gaza, which has already claimed the lives of more than 400 Palestinians, will intensify.
The warning followed a security assessment meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir at an underground command bunker at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv.
"They must understand: if they do not release all our hostages, our strikes will only intensify," Katz said. Israeli officials said that 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with about half believed to be alive.
In a related development, far-right party Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), led by lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir, announced its return to Netanyahu's government following airstrikes in Gaza. The party, which had withdrawn from the coalition to protest against a six-week ceasefire, said it was rejoining after the intensified military operations.
"Likud and Otzma Yehudit have agreed that the Otzma Yehudit faction will return to the Israeli government today, and the ministers of Otzma Yehudit will return to the government," Netanyahu's office confirmed in a statement. ■
Israeli troops are seen near the southern Israeli border with Gaza, on March 18, 2025. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday warned Hamas that unless all hostages are freed, the military assault on Gaza, which has already claimed the lives of more than 400 Palestinians, will intensify. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)
Israeli troops are seen near the southern Israeli border with Gaza, on March 18, 2025. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday warned Hamas that unless all hostages are freed, the military assault on Gaza, which has already claimed the lives of more than 400 Palestinians, will intensify. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)
Israeli troops are seen near the southern Israeli border with Gaza, on March 18, 2025. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday warned Hamas that unless all hostages are freed, the military assault on Gaza, which has already claimed the lives of more than 400 Palestinians, will intensify. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)
Israeli troops are seen near the southern Israeli border with Gaza, on March 18, 2025. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday warned Hamas that unless all hostages are freed, the military assault on Gaza, which has already claimed the lives of more than 400 Palestinians, will intensify. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)
