Ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have both announced their opposition to any ceasefire plan that includes withdrawal from Gaza. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sharply criticized the details of the emerging hostage deal with Hamas. Smotrich said, "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."
"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." Smotrich has canceled most of his scheduled meetings today and convened a series of consultations on the issue.
Minister Ben-Gvir warned that withdrawal would lead to more abductions. "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 further called on the Prime Minister to order a decisive confrontation with Hamas, "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." (Read More)
