Defense Minister Israel Katz on Saturday instructed the IDF to destroy all of Hamas's underground tunnels in the area the IDF withdrew to following the implementation of the US-backed Gaza Deal.
The minister called this order Israel's "central mission," placing it alongside the IDF's other obligations, such as the protection of soldiers and Israeli communities.
"This is in parallel with the dialogue we are having with US representatives, from [US] Vice President Vance, the Secretaries of state and war, and through the US president's envoys to CENTCOM commanders," he added.
Katz: More than 60% of tunnels in Gaza intact, warns Hamas not to go across Yellow Line
Katz previously told Vance, while the vice president was in Israel, that more than 60% of Hamas tunnels are still intact as of the ceasefire's implementation, according to a Friday N12 report.
He additionally told the US official that “demolishing the tunnels is the most important joint mission in demilitarizing Gaza in accordance with the Trump plan."
Katz instructed the military on Monday to deliver a message to Hamas leaders in Gaza via the American monitoring mechanism following several instances of terrorists approaching Israeli forces across the Yellow Line.
“Every Hamas terrorist located beyond the Yellow Line in territory under Israeli control must evacuate immediately,” he said.