Israel’s Ultimatum to Hamas: Surrender or See Gaza City Destroyed

Israeli officials on Wednesday dismissed Hamas’s announcement that it was ready to release all hostages in exchange for ending the conflict in Gaza, insisting that the military offensive on Gaza City would proceed unless the terror group agrees to Jerusalem’s demand for a complete and lasting ceasefire.

Hamas’s message, which claimed the organization was still awaiting Israel’s response to a ceasefire arrangement it had already approved two weeks earlier, was issued shortly after US President Donald Trump pressed for the liberation of the surviving captives.

In its statement, Hamas declared its readiness “to enter into a comprehensive deal in which all enemy prisoners held by the resistance will be freed in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners held by the occupation.” The terror group consistently labels the hostages it is holding as prisoners.

“This agreement will end the war on the Gaza Strip, result in the withdrawal of all occupation forces from the entire Gaza Strip, open the border crossings to allow the entry of all the Gaza Strip’s necessities and start the process of rebuilding,” Hamas added.

The group further said it was prepared to establish “an independent national administration of technocrats” to govern the territory.

Israeli leaders, however, made clear that only a total surrender and disarmament by Hamas would be acceptable, with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu repeating this point in his reply to the terror group’s statement.

“This is more spin by Hamas, containing nothing new,” read the response from Netanyahu’s office.

The Prime Minister’s Office laid out five specific terms under which the conflict could be halted: freeing every hostage, dismantling Hamas’s arsenal, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, ensuring Israeli security oversight in Gaza, and “the establishment of an alternative civilian administration that does not indoctrinate for terror, does not dispatch terror, and does not threaten Israel.”

“Only these conditions will prevent Hamas from rearming and repeating the October 7 massacre again and again, as it openly vows to do,” Netanyahu’s office warned.

Defense Minister Israel Katz delivered a similar ultimatum, saying Hamas must agree to Israel’s conditions — including disarmament and releasing the captives — or see Gaza City “become like Rafah and Beit Hanoun.” He accused Hamas of continuing to “deceive and utter empty words.”

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, responding to Netanyahu and Katz, maintained that while the government “does not have to accept Hamas’s conditions, it must immediately return to negotiations and try to close a deal.”

“You can’t not even try to return our hostages home,” Lapid said.

Yair Golan, head of The Democrats opposition faction, issued sharper criticism, accusing Netanyahu of once again prioritizing his own survival over the welfare of soldiers and hostages, saying the prime minister “is again choosing to forsake the lives of the hostages and soldiers for his own sake.”

At the same time, Israeli media reported that IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir is preparing to caution the government that taking Gaza City would force Israel to directly administer Gaza under military authority.

“There will be no choice but to impose military rule on all of Gaza from November,” Channel 12 quoted Zamir as planning to tell ministers.

According to the report, Zamir objects to the proposal of capturing Gaza City, preferring instead that Israel accept the ceasefire agreement that would free the hostages.

The network said Zamir intends to follow through with the military orders if instructed but is warning the government to brace for both international and security repercussions.

Despite these warnings, the government has continued to push forward with the Gaza City operation. This comes even though Hamas said it already signed on to a staged truce-and-hostage arrangement nearly identical to one Israel had earlier endorsed. In the meantime, Israeli leadership has rejected partial agreements, demanding instead a sweeping deal for the release of all captives together, coupled with Hamas’s capitulation.

The phased plan — which Hamas stated it accepted on August 18 — outlined the release of 10 living captives and the transfer of the remains of 18 dead hostages. In exchange, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian security detainees and roughly 1,000 Gazan prisoners, with a 60-day pause in fighting. During that lull, discussions would continue for the release of the last 20 captives, of whom an estimated 10 to 12 are believed to still be alive, along with a final agreement to end the war.

{Matzav.com Israel}