Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the Army this Sunday, October 12, to “destroy all Hamas terrorist tunnels in Gaza” after the release of the hostages.
In a message published on his personal account on the social network
“This is the main significance of implementing the agreed principle of demilitarizing Gaza and disarming Hamas,” he declared.
According to Katz, the operation will be carried out “through the international mechanism that will be created under the leadership and supervision of the United States.”
It is estimated that the process of releasing the 48 hostages remaining in Gaza – of whom only 20 are believed to remain alive – will begin Monday morning, according to the Israeli coordinator for hostage affairs, Gal Hirsch, to the families of the captives.
The dismantling of Hamas’ military infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is also provided for in the agreement reached with Israel, which establishes that, once the ceasefire begins – which occurred this Saturday at noon -, there is a 72-hour deadline for Hamas and the Palestinian militias to release the hostages held in Gaza.
However, on Saturday, Hamas said that it will not participate in the official signing of the peace agreement with Israel, because, despite agreeing to the ceasefire and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, it does not accept being demilitarized.