Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has vowed to unleash a level of military force “never seen before” against Gaza, threatening what he called the “complete destruction and devastation” of the territory if Hamas does not release all Israeli hostages. The statement, issued this week, signals a new phase of escalation despite Israel already surpassing the tonnage of bombs dropped on several of the most devastated cities in World War II.

Since the start of the current war in October 2023, Israel has dropped over 85,000 tons of explosives on the Gaza Strip—more than the total dropped on Tokyo, London, Dresden, and Hamburg combined during WWII. This figure, verified by regional monitors and military analysts, represents one of the most intense aerial bombardments in modern history. According to Euro-Med Monitor, the damage now exceeds that of major European cities during the height of WWII.

In a video address, Katz issued a direct warning: “Residents of Gaza, this is a final warning. If all the Israeli hostages are not released and Hamas is not eliminated from Gaza, Israel will act with forces you have never known before.” His remarks were followed by new ground incursions and intensified aerial bombardments across the strip.

Katz has also formally threatened to annex parts of Gaza, stating that if Hamas continues to hold hostages, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would seize additional territory, forcibly evacuate residents, and permanently hold those areas as expanded buffer zones. “We will hold them permanently,” Katz said, underscoring what observers say could amount to territorial conquest under the guise of hostage negotiations.

Despite the overwhelming bombardment already inflicted, the Israeli government appears to be preparing for a dramatically intensified campaign. Katz’s warning was not framed as conditional on renewed rocket fire or violations by Hamas—in fact, Hamas had continued to observe the ceasefire agreement up until recent Israeli escalations and has launched only limited retaliatory fire.

Humanitarian groups and international legal observers have raised alarms over Israel’s continued campaign. Euro-Med Monitor and the UN Human Rights Office have pointed to widespread civilian deaths, targeting of critical infrastructure, and the displacement of over a million Gazans. The scale of destruction, they warn, is fast approaching definitions of collective punishment and war crimes.

The Trump regime, now in its second term, has offered unconditional support to Israel. Trump has praised the operations as “necessary steps in eliminating terror.” In contrast, countries such as France, Ireland, and South Africahave condemned both the bombing campaign and the annexation threats as illegal acts of aggression.

Israel’s previous campaigns in Gaza—Operation Cast Lead, Protective Edge, and Guardian of the Walls—each drew international criticism, but none approached the scale or lethality of the current war. The repeated destruction of hospitals, shelters, and aid convoys has been documented extensively by human rights monitors.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. Food and water access have collapsed, disease is spreading in displacement camps, and international aid deliveries remain blocked by Israeli military checkpoints. The World Food Programme and Doctors Without Borders have warned of mass starvation and untreated injuriesunless aid is allowed to flow immediately.

Katz’s latest threat—delivered not in response to new aggression but as a political ultimatum—underscores what critics describe as a shift from a war of defense to a campaign of annihilation and land seizure. As Gaza enters a new phase of military escalation, the Israeli government is making clear: the destruction isn’t over—and it may not stop at the border.

Reported by Daniel Merrick for The Crustian Daily.