Israeli Defense Minister Orders IDF To Prepare Plans To Beat Hamas If A Hostage Agreement Is Not Achieved

JAKARTA - Israeli Defense Minister Katz said he had ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to submit plans "beaten Hamas completely in Gaza," if no deal was held hostage by the time US President-elect Donald Trump entered the White House.

"If the hostage-taking deal doesn't materialize when President Trump takes office, Hamas must be completely defeated in Gaza," Katz said in a statement issued by his office.

"We must not be dragged into a war that is draining energy that will harm us and will not result in complete Hamas victory and strategic defeat and the end of the war in Gaza," he said.

Defense Minister Katz instructed the military to convey to him plans to "beat Hamas completely" during last night's assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi and other high-ranking officers.

According to his office, Defense Minister Katz "enforced the issue of the release of hostages has been a top priority for defense agencies since he took office and that everything must be done to bring them home."

"The defense minister stressed we must not be dragged into a tiring war against Hamas in Gaza, while the hostages remain in the tunnel with their lives in danger and while they suffer greatly," the statement said.

Defense Minister Katz asked IDF to "determine issues that may complicate the implementation of the plan, including humanitarian issues and other issues, and hand it over to political echelons to make the necessary decisions," he continued.

The defense minister also "suppressed the issue of a political solution to Gaza is irrelevant to the planned and activity issues needed now, as neither Arab nor Arab side will be responsible for managing civilian life in Gaza as long as Hamas is not completely destroyed."