Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has ordered the army to continue large-scale demolitions in parts of the Gaza Strip still under Israeli occupation, even as a fragile ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement remains in effect.

In a statement published on social media, Katz said he had instructed Israeli forces to “prioritize the destruction of tunnels” in what he called the “yellow zone” — areas of Gaza that Israel continues to occupy despite the ceasefire. He described the move as part of a broader effort to “demilitarize Gaza,” a term widely used by Israeli officials to justify ongoing military operations.

“I have instructed the IDF to prioritize the destruction of the tunnels as the central task in the zone under our control, alongside protecting soldiers and communities,” Katz wrote. He added that Israeli discussions with senior U.S. officials — including the vice president, secretaries of state and defense, and military commanders — were focused on implementing Washington’s plan to “disarm Hamas and destroy all terror tunnels.”

His remarks came as international mediators struggle to uphold the ceasefire deal, which began on October 10 following months of devastating bombardment and a humanitarian catastrophe across the Gaza Strip. The truce’s first phase calls for an exchange of prisoners and hostages, a partial Israeli withdrawal, and the initiation of Gaza’s reconstruction under a new administrative framework.

Despite the agreement, Israel’s continued military operations — including demolitions, arrests, and drone strikes — have raised growing concerns that Tel Aviv is undermining the fragile peace. Palestinian officials and human rights organizations have condemned the latest orders as a direct violation of the ceasefire terms.

Katz claimed the demolitions were part of Israel’s “most important strategic objective” — the “demilitarization of Gaza” through the destruction of resistance tunnels. He also vowed to continue operations until the return of Israeli captives, calling it a “moral mission.”

However, critics note that such rhetoric has long been used to justify collective punishment and the further destruction of Gaza’s already-crippled infrastructure.Since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, more than 68,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 170,300 injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, with thousands still missing beneath the debris.

While Israel continues to frame its campaign as a security operation, Palestinians and international observers describe it as a systematic attempt to erase Gaza’s population and resistance under the guise of “demilitarization.”

As demolition crews move deeper into what remains of northern and central Gaza, many fear that the ceasefire agreement — once viewed as a glimmer of hope — is rapidly being hollowed out by Israel’s ongoing aggression. (ILKHA)