Israel orders military to prepare for possible renewed offensive in Gaza

Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has instructed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to draw up a plan in the event that military operations in Gaza resume.

According to a statement from the minister’s office, cited by Israeli media, the move comes within the framework of the peace plan put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Under the plan, Hamas is required to return the bodies of Israeli hostages and surrender its weapons, while Israel, together with international forces, would work to destroy tunnels and terrorist infrastructure in Gaza to ensure the enclave’s demilitarisation and prevent future threats to Israel.

“If Hamas refuses to fulfil its part of the agreement, Israel will resume military operations and pursue all of the war’s objectives,” Katz said in the statement.

The announcement followed comments by President Trump in an interview with CNN, in which he said he would authorise Israel to resume its military campaign in Gaza should Hamas fail to comply with the terms of the agreement.

Hamas has handed over the remains of two additional Israeli captives, while acknowledging that locating others still buried beneath the rubble will require specialised equipment and outside assistance.

As of October 16, Israel said progress on the next phase of its Gaza peace plan will remain on hold until Hamas returns the remains of all 28 captives still unaccounted for. The exchange marks the latest development in the fragile ceasefire, which has largely halted large-scale fighting but left deep humanitarian and political divisions unresolved.

Meanwhile, a United Nations agency has accused Israeli forces of continuing to “kill civilians” in areas of Gaza where troops have redeployed under the ceasefire terms. The report underscores mounting international concern over Israel’s military conduct and the broader toll of the conflict.

Since the war began in October 2023, Israeli operations in Gaza have killed at least 67,938 people and wounded 170,169, according to local authorities. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed and about 200 were taken captive during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023.

By Aghakazim Guliyev