Katz’s Ultimatum: Land for Hostages

The threat from Katz comes as Israel has resumed intensive military operations in Gaza following the expiration of an initial truce earlier this month. According to Katz, “I ordered (the army) to seize more territory in Gaza… The more Hamas refuses to free the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed by Israel.”

He further threatened “to expand buffer zones around Gaza to protect Israeli civilian population areas and soldiers by implementing a permanent Israeli occupation of the area” if Hamas does not comply with the demand to release hostages.These statements mark a significant escalation in the Israeli government’s rhetoric and potential strategy, raising questions about the ultimate goals of the military campaign.

Such annexation,if carried out,would be a clear violation of international law,similar to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014,which drew widespread condemnation and sanctions from the U.S.and its allies. The potential annexation of Gaza territory could similarly isolate Israel on the world stage and complicate its relationship with the U.S.

Ceasefire Talks and Humanitarian Crisis

Despite the renewed fighting, efforts to broker a ceasefire continue.A Palestinian source indicated that Hamas received a proposal from Egypt and Qatar for re-establishing a truce and exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners “according to a timeline to be agreed upon.” The proposal reportedly “includes the entry of humanitarian aid” into Gaza, which has been substantially restricted by Israel as March 2.

The ongoing restrictions on humanitarian aid are particularly concerning to U.S.-based aid organizations like Doctors Without Borders and the international Rescue Committee,which have been vocal about the dire conditions in Gaza. The situation mirrors the challenges faced in delivering aid to war-torn regions like Yemen and Syria, where access is frequently enough used as a political tool.

Israel resumed intensive bombing of Gaza on Tuesday, citing deadlock in indirect negotiations on next steps in the truce after its first stage expired this month. The territory’s civil defense agency said Israeli strikes killed 11 people on Friday — three in pre-dawn strikes and eight more during the daytime. On thursday, it had reported a death toll of 504 as the bombardment resumed, one of the highest since the war began more than 17 months ago with Hamas’s attack on Israel.

International Condemnation and Regional Tensions

Israel’s resumption of large-scale military operations has drawn widespread condemnation. The foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Britain issued a joint statement late Friday, calling the new strikes “a dramatic step backward” and urging an immediate return to a ceasefire.

Turkey’s foreign ministry condemned what it called a “deliberate” attack by Israel on a Turkish-built hospital in Gaza. In response, an israeli military spokesperson stated, “The IDF (military) struck terrorists in a Hamas terrorist infrastructure site that previously had served as a hospital in the central Gaza Strip.” The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza condemned “the heinous crime committed by the occupation (Israel) in bombing the Turkish-Palestinian friendship Hospital,” calling it “the only hospital designated for the treatment of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip.” The ministry further claimed Israeli forces had used the hospital as “a base for its forces throughout the period of its occupation of the so-called Netzarim axis.”

Turkish President Erdogan’s strong criticism of Israel’s actions mirrors the anti-Israel rhetoric frequently enough heard from Iranian leaders, highlighting the potential for the conflict to further destabilize the region and draw in other actors.This is similar to the situation in Ukraine, where Russian disinformation campaigns have sought to undermine international support for Ukraine.

Domestic Dissent and Political Pressure

Within Israel, there is growing dissent over the government’s handling of the hostage situation. Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed worry about the government’s actions in a video statement Thursday, saying it was “unthinkable to resume fighting while still pursuing the sacred mission of bringing our hostages home.” Thousands of protesters have rallied in Jerusalem, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of resuming military operations without regard for the safety of the hostages.

This domestic pressure echoes the anti-war protests that occurred in the U.S.during the Vietnam War and the Iraq War, demonstrating the significant political challenges faced by leaders when military actions are perceived as costly or ineffective.

Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, 58 are still held by Gaza militants, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Escalating Regional Involvement

The conflict is increasingly drawing in other regional actors. Israel’s military reported intercepting a missile launched from Yemen, after air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem and parts of central Israel. The iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility, stating it had “targeted ben Gurion airport” near Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile. They warned that Israeli airspace would remain unsafe “until the aggression against gaza stops.”

Earlier on Friday, Israel’s military said it intercepted two projectiles fired from northern Gaza, which Hamas’s armed wing said was in response to “massacres against civilians.”

This escalation mirrors the situation in Syria, where various regional and international actors are involved, leading to a complex and protracted conflict. The U.S. has a vested interest in preventing a similar scenario from unfolding in the Gaza-Israel conflict.

Katz said Israel would “intensify the fight with aerial, naval and ground shelling and also by expanding the ground operation until hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated, using all military and civilian pressure points.” He also referenced a past proposal, stating these included implementing Trump’s proposal for the United States to redevelop Gaza as a Mediterranean resort after the relocation of its Palestinian inhabitants to other Arab countries.