JERUSALEM, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that if Hamas does not release the Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Saturday, "the gates of hell will open upon them."

Katz made the remarks during a security consultation at the military's Operations Directorate command center in Tel Aviv, according to a statement from his office. He said the meeting was convened to "ensure that the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is properly prepared for the resumption of the war in Gaza."

"If Hamas halts the release of hostages, then there is no agreement, and there is war," he said.

He added that "if Hamas does not release the Israeli hostages by Saturday, the gates of hell will open upon them, just as the U.S. president promised," referring to President Donald Trump's warning that if Israeli hostages are not returned by Saturday at noon, "all hell is going to break out" on Gaza. Under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreed upon in January, Hamas needs to release on Saturday another three hostages.

Katz said Israel plans to escalate its military offensive in Gaza. "The new Gaza war will be different in its intensity from the one before the ceasefire -- and it will not end without Hamas' defeat and the release of all the hostages," he said.

The comments came as the Israeli military called up reservists and bolstered forces near the Palestinian enclave. The moves, which threaten to derail the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, came a day after Hamas said it would delay the release of three more hostages on Saturday unless Israel reaffirmed its commitment to the agreement and compensated for what the group described as a series of violations.

The phased ceasefire agreement took effect on Jan. 19 after 15 months of Israel's devastating assault on Gaza. It includes the release of 33 hostages and about 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. A total of 76 hostages remain in Gaza, almost half of whom are presumed dead. Enditem

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