JERUSALEM, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Israel will annex territories in the Gaza Strip if Hamas refuses to release the remaining hostages, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Friday.
"As Hamas continues its refusal to release the Israeli hostages, it will lose more and more territories to be annexed by Israel. Israel will continue the operation with increasing intensity until the hostages are released," Katz said in a statement.
Katz added he has instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to seize more areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand the security zone around the enclave to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers through Israel's permanent control of the area.
"We are intensifying the fighting with strikes from the air, sea, and land and by expanding the ground maneuver until the hostages are released and Hamas is defeated, using all military and civilian means of pressure," he stated.
Katz said the methods would include "evacuating the Gaza population to the south and implementing U.S. President (Donald) Trump's voluntary transfer plan for Gaza residents," referring to Trump's controversial proposal in early February to relocate Gaza residents and for the United States to take over the area, which has stirred widespread criticism.
Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on Tuesday after its ceasefire deal with Hamas that began on Jan. 19 unraveled. Israeli troops later launched ground operations in southern, northern, and central Gaza.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza media office, the death toll from the renewed Israeli strikes in Gaza has neared 600, in addition to more than 1,000 wounded.
On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump "fully supports" Israel's renewed air and ground assault on Gaza.