National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir voiced sharp disapproval Thursday over the ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
“As the negotiations for reckless deals intensify, so does the motivation of Hamas terrorists to carry out more kidnappings,” he said. “Last night, it cost us the life of an IDF soldier,” he added.
Ben-Gvir was referring to the death of Staff-Sergeant-Major Abraham Azulay, who was killed in action Wednesday in Khan Yunis. The incident occurred during a mission when Hamas terrorists emerged from a tunnel and attempted to capture him.
Calling for an end to the talks, Ben-Gvir urged Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu—currently in Washington for meetings with President Donald Trump concerning the proposed ceasefire—to abandon negotiations altogether.
“Enough of negotiating with a murderous terror organization and pursuing a deal that will strengthen and sustain it,” he stated.
“The lives of our soldiers and the residents of the South are more important than any normalization and economic agreements,” he added.
“Give the order to crush Hamas to the end. We do not have unnecessary soldiers to lose in reckless deals,” he concluded.
Ben-Gvir has persistently pushed for halting the negotiations, reiterating his stance this past Saturday with a post on X/Twitter, where he urged Netanyahu to scrap the proposed agreement, which is backed by the United States.
Withdraw from the “surrender framework,” and “return to a framework of decisive victory,” Ben-Gvir wrote.
“The only path to decisive victory and the secure return of our hostages is the full conquest of the Gaza Strip, a complete halt to so-called ‘humanitarian aid,’ and the encouragement of emigration,” he added.
While an agreement over hostages and a ceasefire is reportedly nearing finalization, a central sticking point remains unresolved: the positioning of IDF forces inside Gaza during the expected 60-day pause in fighting. A source with knowledge of the matter told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that negotiations between Hamas and Israel, currently taking place in Doha, Qatar, are still underway.
According to that source, Israel’s team submitted an updated offer featuring detailed military deployment maps covering the entire ceasefire period. The new plan focuses primarily on areas located south of the Morag Corridor.
Hamas, however, is insisting on a total pullout of IDF troops during the 60-day timeframe, similar to what occurred during the truce in January. But Israeli officials are holding firm on maintaining control in certain zones, especially around the Morag Corridor. Two government sources explained that this revised map proposal reflects a significant Israeli concession compared to earlier terms—hence its introduction into the talks.
{Matzav.com Israel}