Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas on Friday that if the militant group doesn't release hostages it will "lose more and more land that will be added to Israel."
In a statement, Katz revealed that should Hamas continue to refuse to hand over the hostages, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been instructed to "capture additional areas, evacuate the population, and expand the security zone around Gaza for the protection of Israeli communities and IDF soldiers, through a permanent hold of the area by Israel."
He went on to say that the military operation against Hamas will be "intensified" with the ground maneuver being expanded until the militant group's defeat and the return of all the captives.
