Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir voiced fierce opposition to the developing outline of a potential agreement with Hamas regarding the release of hostages.
Smotrich expressed alarm over the prospect that the Israeli government might agree to retreat from territory reclaimed by the IDF during the ongoing conflict. “If, God forbid, the reports are true about the Prime Minister’s willingness to withdraw as part of a hostage deal from areas conquered by our soldiers, this would be a betrayal of the soldiers and the families who sacrificed everything dear to them and a violation of the promise made to them,” he declared.
He went on to condemn the idea of vacating land that IDF troops had paid for with their lives, only to allow Hamas to reoccupy and fortify those areas. “Withdrawing from areas repeatedly conquered with our soldiers’ blood and allowing the enemy to enter, arm, and booby-trap them, and then sending our soldiers to conquer them again is an illogical and immoral slap in the face.” In response, Smotrich cleared most items from his schedule to hold urgent consultations.
Ben Gvir warned that such concessions would invite further attacks and embolden Hamas. “As negotiations for reckless deals intensify, so does the motivation of Hamas terrorists to abduct more people, and last night it cost us the life of an IDF soldier who was killed during a kidnapping attempt,” he said.
He demanded a complete change in strategy, urging Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to abandon diplomacy and take military action. “Enough negotiating with a murderous terrorist organization and pursuing a deal that will revive and strengthen it. The lives of our soldiers and the residents of the south are more important than any normalization and economic agreements,” Ben Gvir insisted.
Ben Gvir pressed the prime minister to escalate the campaign against Hamas immediately. “Give the order to crush Hamas completely. We have no extra soldiers to lose in reckless deals!” he said.
The families of the hostages also issued a joint statement blasting the direction of the talks and the government’s priorities. “The media reports about the deal and its implications do not give us peace. While our loved ones are in chains and cages of Hamas in tunnels deep underground, the Prime Minister and the negotiation team are discussing the reconstruction of the Strip with Qatar. Hamas senses that Israel is eager for a deal and is entrenching its positions. Where in the world is such a thing heard? Are we delusional? Has the State of Israel given up on defeating Hamas and returning the hostages?”
They pointed to the most recent attempted kidnapping as proof that Hamas remains as dangerous as ever. “Just yesterday Hamas terrorists tried to abduct a soldier. Yesterday. We are rushing to a partial deal that will endanger the hostages who will remain there, endanger the IDF soldiers, and endanger the residents of the south. The dangerous flexibility in negotiations will encourage future kidnappings and reflects the essence that Hamas will never release everyone.”
The statement concluded with scathing criticism of the Israeli leadership for prioritizing rebuilding Gaza over securing the full release of captives. “Instead of announcing the halt of all aid until the hostages are returned, they are talking about reconstructing the Strip. Instead of dealing with the defeat of Hamas, we are talking to them in Qatar. Instead of dealing with the return of all the hostages, we are fighting only for half. Prime Minister, you do not have a mandate to abandon the rest of the hostages!”
{Matzav.com Israel}