'No Electric Switch Will Be Turned On, No Water Tap Will Be Opened Till Hostages Return’: Israel Minister Amid War With Gaza

The Hamas has reportedly taken around 150 Israelis, foreigners, and Israeli dual nationals, as hostage.

An explosion at a residential tower caused by Israeli bombing raids in the northern Gaza Strip. ( Image Source :Getty )

New Delhi: As the war between Israel and the militant group Hamas raged for a sixth day on Thursday, Israel's Energy Minister has warned that no humanitarian aid or any essential resources will be allowed into Gaza until Hamas releases all hostages, Al Jazeera reported.

"Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electric switch will be turned on, no water tap will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home," Energy Minister Israel Katz said.

Hamas has reportedly taken around 150 Israelis, foreigners, and Israeli dual nationals, as hostages back to Gaza during Saturday's surprise attack. 

Israel has retaliated to the surprise attack by declaring war to destroy Hamas' capability, relentlessly pounding the densely populated and impoverished Gaza Strip. Thousands of people on both sides have died -- most of them civilians.

British-based relatives of Israelis believed taken hostage made emotional pleas on Thursday for their safe release. 

The family members displayed posters in London of some of those missing alongside the words: "Bring them home." One of the photos was of a six-month-old baby, another of a three-year-old boy.

"They need to be back home now," said Noam Sagi, who says his mother Ada Sagi was Kidnapped from her home when the group rushed to the Nir Oz kibbutz near the Gaza border, reported AFP.

Earlier today, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant briefed 31 of his counterparts at a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meeting in Brussels. He asserted that Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) will destroy Hamas and "will hunt down every last man with blood of children," The Times of Israel reported.

 

"Hamas is the 'ISIS' of Gaza, a savage organization, funded and supported by Iran. Hamas is ISIS. The 'ISIS' of Gaza will not exist, on our borders. The IDF will destroy Hamas. And we will hunt down every last man, with the blood of our children, on his hands," Yoav Gallant said.

 

Speaking about atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against children, women, men, and the elderly, Gallant said, "We have been hit hard. Yet make no mistake - 2023 is not 1943. We are the same Jews, but we have different capabilities. The State of Israel is strong. We are united, and powerful."