Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday expressed strong opposition to a hostage and ceasefire deal with Hamas amid reports negotiations are making progress and said it was time for Israel to “occupy and cleanse” the entire Gaza Strip.
“The emerging deal is a catastrophe for the national security of the State of Israel. We will not be part of a surrender deal that would include releasing terrorist hostages, stopping the war and dissolving its achievements that were bought with much blood, and abandoning many hostages,” Smotrich wrote on X.
“This is the time to continue with all our might, to occupy and cleanse the entire Strip, to finally take control of humanitarian aid from Hamas, and to open the gates of hell on Gaza until Hamas surrenders completely and all the hostages are returned,” he added.
Later in the day, family members of hostages in Gaza entered a meeting of Israel’s finance committee that was attended by Smotrich to confront him over his tweet. “These kidnapped people can be returned,” Ofir Angrest, whose brother was taken hostage by Hamas, told Smotrich, according to Haaretz.
“The conditions are ripe, it’s time for a deal, the prime minister said it. How can you, the finance minister, oppose the return of all these abductees?” Angrest added.
The Haaretz report said that Smotrich expressed opposition to the deal after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared the details of the potential agreement. Netanyahu had summoned Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to brief them on the potential deal over concerns they might quit the government if an agreement is reached.
Smotrich and Ben Gvir, who are both West Bank settlers, have repeatedly threatened to quit the government if a ceasefire deal is reached, but sources told Haaretz they might not do so now since the incoming Trump administration is expected to be open to the idea of advancing Israeli annexation in the West Bank.
The hostage issue is an open ended issue which the zionist supremacists use to justify indefinite aggression. Plus, since the October 7th event had Israeli involvement, the entire issue is hollow.
Spot the heck on!!!
Thanks Donna, I try.
Notice that some "finance minister" is ranting about something he has not authority. These zionist supremacists are trouble.
"October 7th event had Israeli involvement" Complete conspiracy nonsense. Next you will be claiming trump did not lost the 2020 election.
Neoconiritis!…
Wolves among the sheep. If only the sheep had an accountable punishment method!
There's something seriously wrong with an entire culture which only knows aggression as a response to anything they don't like. Israeli culture is really quite insane.
Don't forget all with the 100% help from America with our bombs, guns and money.
https://sonar21.com/podcast-monday-dissecting-trump-israel-iran-and-ukraine/
"While the religious zealots in Netanyahu’s government are doing everything in their power to sabotage a deal, the IDF and Netanyahu want to bring an end to the fighting in Gaza because Israel is paying too high a price in terms of loss of soldiers and military equipment. In the last three days, Hamas fighters have killed nine Zionist soldiers and wounded more than 20. At least some Israeli military and intelligence commanders understand that these are not sustainable losses."
Judging from Israel's recent territorial land grab in Syria these last two months, the IDF isn't suffering tremendous losses amid the Greater Israel scheme.
The quid pro quo is Palestinians are released from Israeli prisons and executed within hours or days.
So what happens after the deal, the genocide is forgotten and all is well?
It will be a sham deal where the UN looks the other way while the genocide escalates.
Trump's credibility and reputation will crumble on January 21, 2025.
That's before a discussion of collapsing financial markets gains a toehold.
That's my chief obsession. A nuclear war comes in second.
That is about right.
He said that after Hamas in north Gaza sent 10 IDF soldiers into body bags and wounded a few more…!
And I bet that event made you happy.