Israel’s Smotrich, Ben-Gvir back Trump’s call to cancel truce deal
The far-right politicians welcomed the US president’s call for the cancellation of the Gaza deal unless Hamas frees all remaining captives by Saturday.
“All of them, now!”, said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a post on X, seemingly referring to the captive release.
“Trump is right! We must go back and destroy now,” former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said.
The politician who resigned from Netanyahu’s war cabinet in protest against the ceasefire deal said earlier that Israel should respond to Hamas’s move with “a massive fire attack” and a complete suspension of humanitarian aid.
‘Gaza will return to being part of Israel’: Smotrich
Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said during a speech at a Haredi institute that electricity and water in Gaza need to be completely cut off, and humanitarian aid cancelled.
“We must threaten that if anything happens to any hostage, Israeli would occupy 5 percent of the Gaza Strip. Another one, another 5 percent,” he said, claiming that “we have full backing” from Donald Trump in light of his latest statements on returning to fighting in Gaza.
Smotrich, who is leading Israeli assaults on the occupied West Bank, said the Israeli military is prepared to occupy parts of Gaza, especially in the north, within “hours” if there is a command from the political echelon.
“Gaza will return to being part of the state of Israel because it is our country and this is the only way to ensure safety of the citizens of the state of Israel and its security,” he said.
The minister said there is no law that could force the ultra-Orthodox Jews into military service.
‘Time to open the gates of hell’ on Gaza, says Israeli communications minister
Israel’s communications minister is the latest senior official to back Trump’s call to “unleash hell” on Gaza if Israeli captives are not released by Saturday.
“The response must be exactly as President Trump suggested,” Shlomo Karhi said in a post on X. “Completely halt humanitarian aid, cut off electricity, water and communications and use brutal and disproportionate force until the hostages return.
“It is time to open the gates of hell on Hamas – and this time, without any restrictions on our heroic fighters.”
‘The language of threats has no value,’ senior Hamas official says
US President Donald Trump must remember that the only way to bring home Israeli captives is to respect the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri has told the Reuters news agency.
“Trump must remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties, and this is the only way to bring back the prisoners. The language of threats has no value and only complicates matters,” he said.
Trump has warned Palestinians that “hell will break loose” if Israeli captives are not released on Saturday as scheduled under the ceasefire. Hamas has postponed the release of captives, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire’s terms.
