Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has threatened to force the population of Gaza City to move south if any Israeli soldier or civilian is abducted, warning that the city would face further military action.
Katz made the remarks on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, during a memorial ceremony for the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He said Israeli intelligence indicated that Hamas was planning to abduct an Israeli soldier or civilian.
According to reports by Agence France-Presse and other news organisations, Katz warned that if such an abduction occurred, Israel would evacuate Gaza City’s residents southward and intensify action against the city.
Katz issues warning over possible abduction
Katz said his warning applied to Hamas and what he described as the group’s supporters, including actors outside Gaza.
He said the proposed response would involve removing the city’s population and treating Gaza City in a manner comparable to areas that have experienced extensive Israeli military operations during the conflict.
The threat comes amid continuing tensions surrounding Gaza, where Israeli military operations, Palestinian armed-group activity and the implementation of a ceasefire arrangement remain major international concerns.
Katz’s remarks, as reported by AFP, were framed as a warning intended to deter the abduction of Israeli soldiers or civilians.
Around one million people could be affected
Gaza City is one of the most densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip. Current reports put its population at roughly 1.1 million people.
A forced movement of that scale would therefore have major humanitarian consequences, particularly given the destruction of housing and civilian infrastructure across Gaza.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has previously warned that a mass evacuation of Gaza City would pose severe humanitarian challenges because of shortages of shelter, food, water, medical services and other essential infrastructure.
The ICRC has also stressed that civilians remain protected under international humanitarian law whether they leave an area or remain behind.
International law places limits on civilian displacement
International humanitarian law prohibits the forcible transfer or deportation of protected civilians from occupied territory, while allowing temporary evacuations under narrowly defined circumstances, including where the security of civilians or imperative military reasons require them.
Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention requires that people evacuated during armed conflict be provided with appropriate conditions of safety, health, hygiene and nutrition, and that families should not be separated. It also requires their return to their homes once the circumstances requiring the evacuation have ended.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has similarly stated that forced displacement is prohibited unless the security of civilians or imperative military reasons make a temporary evacuation necessary. It has also said civilians displaced from an area must be allowed to return once the reasons for their displacement cease.
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court also identifies ordering the displacement of civilians in connection with an armed conflict as a war crime when the applicable exceptions for civilian security or imperative military reasons do not apply.
Whether a particular evacuation complies with international law depends on the circumstances, including the military necessity claimed, the manner in which the movement is carried out and the conditions provided to civilians.
Gaza’s humanitarian situation remains fragile
The latest warning comes after months of extensive destruction and displacement across Gaza.
Earlier this month, a building in Gaza City that had previously been damaged by Israeli strikes collapsed, killing at least 21 people, including children, according to the Associated Press. The incident highlighted the dangers facing Palestinians living in damaged structures because of the shortage of safe housing.
Reuters has also reported continuing Israeli strikes in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with Palestinian health officials reporting deaths and injuries since the ceasefire took effect. Israel and Hamas have continued to accuse each other of violations of the arrangement.
The combination of damaged infrastructure, limited shelter and continuing insecurity makes any large-scale population movement particularly difficult.
The threat comes amid continuing hostage concerns
The issue of Israeli hostages and abducted civilians remains central to the conflict.
The October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the abduction of more than 250 others, according to Israeli figures cited by international news organisations. The hostage issue subsequently became one of the central elements of negotiations and military operations surrounding Gaza.
Katz’s latest statement links any future abduction directly to a proposed military and population-displacement response involving Gaza City.
It remains unclear whether the threat will lead to any immediate change in military operations or whether an Israeli soldier or civilian is currently at risk of being abducted in the circumstances described by Katz.
What happens next
Katz’s warning places renewed attention on the protection of civilians in Gaza and on the obligations of all parties under international humanitarian law.
Any attempt to move Gaza City’s population would affect a large civilian population already exposed to displacement, shortages and damaged infrastructure.
The situation is therefore likely to remain closely watched by humanitarian organisations and governments as Israel and Hamas continue to navigate the fragile ceasefire and unresolved issues surrounding security, hostages, military control and the future governance of Gaza.
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Sources
- Agence France-Presse (AFP)
- Associated Press (AP)
- Reuters
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- International Committee of the Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Database
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
