Israel to destroy Hamas tunnels after hostage release, Minister Katz says

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has said that after the completion of the operation to free hostages held in the Gaza Strip, the priority will be to destroy the remaining underground facilities of the Palestinian Hamas movement.

“Israel's main task after the return of the hostages will be to destroy all Hamas terrorist tunnels in the Gaza Strip,” Caliber.Az quotes the defence minister as saying on X.

Katz specified that the operation will be carried out by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) with the participation of an international mechanism, which is planned to be created under the leadership and control of the United States.

The Gaza war, sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack (1,200 Israeli deaths, 251 hostages seized), has killed over 67,000 Palestinians—mostly civilians—displaced 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, and razed infrastructure, creating famine risks via aid curbs, according to the enclave's health officials. Prior ceasefires (November 2023: 105 hostages/240 prisoners swapped; January 2025: 28 hostages/1,000+ prisoners) collapsed amid rearmament, leading to Israel's March 2025 offensive resuming after Hamas's refusal to extend Phase 1.

Trump's September 2025 20-point plan—phased swaps (all 48 remaining hostages, including ~20 alive/28 bodies for ~2,000 Palestinian prisoners/detainees), partial IDF withdrawals, aid surges, Hamas disarmament/demilitarization, international governance, and reconstruction—culminated in indirect Sharm el-Sheikh talks (October 7-9), mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye.

Israel's cabinet approved Phase 1 on October 9; ceasefire activated October 10 at noon local time, with IDF pulling back from northern/central Gaza (retaining southern positions). Hostage releases began on October 11 (first 12 living via Rafah), with full Phase 1 completion eyed by October 14; aid trucks now exceed 500 per day via U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

By Khagan Isayaev