Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened Hamas in a social media post that if the terrorist organization does not release the hostages in Gaza and lay down its weapons, Gaza will be destroyed and the group will be eliminated.
"This is a final warning," he iterated.
"Today, a mighty hurricane will strike the skies over Gaza City, and the roofs of the terror towers will tremble.
"The IDF continues as planned and is preparing to expand the operation to bring about the decisive defeat of Gaza," he concluded.
The Israeli Air Force is expected to strike numerous targets, including additional high-rise buildings in Gaza.
Trump's warning to Hamas
The statement from Katz came after US President Donald Trump posted on social media, "It is time for Hamas to accept [a hostage deal] as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter. DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," the post read.
A new US-backed proposal has been delivered to Hamas over the past few days in an effort to secure the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, sources told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. The initiative, conveyed through Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin and Dr. Bishara Bahbah, outlines a comprehensive framework aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.
Hamas claimed that it is ready to "immediately sit at the negotiating table to discuss the release of all hostages in exchange for a clear declaration of an end to the war, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the formation of a committee to administer the Gaza Strip from independent Palestinians, which will assume its work immediately," in an official statement published by the terror group on Sunday night.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.