Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz is warning leaders of the Hamas terror group that the largest city in the Gaza Strip faces ruin if they don’t release the hostages abducted in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.

Mr. Katz posted Monday on X that “a powerful hurricane will strike the skies of Gaza City” ahead of a planned Israeli offensive into the capital of the Palestinian enclave.

“This is a final warning to the murderers and rapists of Hamas in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and lay down your weapons — or Gaza will be destroyed and you will be annihilated,” Mr. Katz posted.

Israel has reportedly signed on to a U.S.-brokered plan that would see the hostages returned in exchange for a start of negotiations to end the fighting. An Israel Defense Forces ground invasion of Gaza City would be held in check as long as both parties were talking, according to Israel’s Channel 12 news network.

“The outline has quite a few holes, chief among them the question of how to convince Hamas to even consider giving up the hostages in exchange for a mere verbal promise that the war will end?” Channel 12 reported. “Indeed, it is clear that the hostages are its only bargaining chips.”

Mr. Katz said the IDF is continuing to plan future operations in the Gaza Strip and is preparing to expand operations to “decisively defeat Gaza.”

President Trump said freeing the hostages and ending Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas is in the best interests of all parties to the conflict.

“The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well,” Mr. Trump posted Sunday on Truth Social. “I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning; there will not be another one.”

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.