Far-right Israeli minister says halting Gaza attacks ‘grave mistake’
Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has slammed Netanyahu for agreeing to halt the country’s war on Gaza to allow for negotiations on the US president’s Gaza proposal.
Smotrich’s comments, shared on X, are his first since Hamas announced yesterday that it had agreed to parts of Trump’s 20-point plan.
The far-right Israeli politician, who lives in an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, has been a key member of Netanyahu’s government coalition and has called for Israel to annex the Gaza Strip.
Ben-Gvir threatens to leave coalition if Hamas not destroyed after captive release
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister and a prominent far-right member of Netanyahu’s coalition, has now reacted to the news of Trump’s Gaza plan moving ahead.
In a statement shared on social media, Ben-Gvir said that he and his Otzma Yehudit party told Netanyahu that they would leave the government if Hamas “remains in existence” following the release of all Israeli captives held in Gaza.
The eradication of Hamas is a “central goal of the war”, Ben-Gvir said.
‘We must not make a mistake’, warns Israel’s Gantz
Chairman of the Blue and White Party, Benny Gantz, says his “heart” is with the families of the captives tonight after Trump pushes for a ceasefire deal to return them to their loved ones.
“We must not make a mistake – we face a complex and long path until the return of all our hostages and the replacement of the Hamas regime,” Gantz wrote on X.
“We must not miss the opportunity again. We will do everything in our power to ensure that this happens and make sure that petty politics does not thwart President Trump’s outline,” he added.
Netanyahu says Israeli negotiators will finalise details of captive release
The Israeli prime minister says the negotiators will be working on a timeline for their release under Trump’s Gaza plan.
Speaking to reporters in Hebrew from Jerusalem, Netanyahu also noted that the US proposal includes the demilitarisation of Hamas. That will be achieved either through Trump’s proposal, or through Israeli military action, he added.
“But in all cases, this will be achieved,” said Netanyahu.
