Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday announced plans to permanently annex parts of Gaza if Hamas continues to refuse to release 59 hostages still held in Gaza, NBC News reported.

“I have instructed the IDF to seize additional areas in Gaza while evacuating the population and to expand the security zones around Gaza for the protection of Israeli communities and IDF soldiers,” Katz said Friday in a prepared statement.

“The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel,” Katz said.

Israeli officials estimate only 24 are still alive among the 59 hostages and said the IDF will intensify its military actions that have killed nearly 600 in Gaza after Israel broke a two-month cease-fire on Tuesday.

A senior Hamas official on Friday said the designated foreign terrorist organization has demonstrated sufficient flexibility to resume cease-fire negotiations to end the war begun when Hamas attacked Israel and killed about 1,200 civilians and kidnapped about 250 while committing many atrocities on Oct. 7. 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said any negotiations with Hamas only would take place while IDF forces continue military operations in Gaza.

Hamas officials Taher al-Nunu told Al-Jazeera indirect negotiations with Israel have continued despite Israel breaking the cease-fire agreement, but Israel has refused to negotiate, the Times of Israel reported.

Katz said Israel will use all available military and civilian assets to pressure Hamas to release the all remaining hostages,whether they are living or dead.

That pressure would include evacuating Gaza’s population southward and implementing the proposed voluntary migration of Gaza residents to other nations.

Peace eventually will come through Israel’s permanent control of Gaza, Katz said.

The proposed ad-hoc body for voluntary migration would determine a transportation route for Palestinians and create checkpoints at designated crossings out of Gaza.

Israel also would build infrastructure to enable the voluntary migration of Palestinians using land, sea and air transport to their respective countries of destination.

The body would be subject to international law and would include representatives from Israel’s ministries of justice, foreign affairs, interior, finance, transportation and strategic affairs.

Others involved would include the IDF, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Shin Bet, the National Security Council and Israeli police.

The ad-hoc body would coordinate the voluntary migration activities with international organizations and others.

The IDF’s current ground operation in Gaza partly is to prepare for the migration plan.

The Israeli government is expected to okay creation of the body to create and implement the voluntary migration plan, the Jerusalem Post reported.