Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich blasts emerging Gaza deal as a 'national security catastrophe'

Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionist party, warned on Monday that the emerging Gaza deal with Hamas is a “national security catastrophe.” He has repeatedly called for even more hawkish policies against the Iranian-backed terrorist organization Hamas. 

“We will not be part of a surrender deal that will include the release of arch-terrorists, stopping the war, and dissolve its achievements that were bought with much blood, and the abandonment of many hostages,” Smotrich stated. 

“Now is the time to continue at full strength, conquer and clean the entire Strip, finally take from Hamas the control of the humanitarian aid, and open the gates of hell on Gaza, until the complete surrender of Hamas and the return of all of the hostages,” the senior minister continued. 

Hamas terrorists kidnapped 251 Israelis and foreign nationals on Oct. 7, 2023, from southern Israeli border communities. After more than 15 months of war, around 100 hostages reportedly remain in captivity in Gaza, but it is unclear how many of them are still alive. 

Tensions are running high between the families of the hostages and lawmakers from the Netanyahu-led coalition government. 

The families of the hostages and their supporters have accused the Israeli government of jeopardizing the lives of their family members held by Hamas terrorists. 

Ofir Angrest whose brother Matan is being held hostage in Gaza, accused Smotrich of “sacrificing” his brother. 

Dolev Yehud, whose daughter Arbel Yehud is a captive in Gaza, held a sign with the text “free my daughter” during a meeting with lawmakers in the Knesset Constitution Committee. 

The lawmaker Eliyahu Revivo from Netanyahu’s Likud Party warned Yehuda Cohen, father of the hostage Nimrod Cohen, that “if you continue with your foul words, you are sending your son for many more years to the Hamas dungeons.” The lawmaker’s remark came after Cohen had accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “war crimes.” The emotional father also accused Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionist Party of “fascism” and of “dealing only with death.”

Ohad Tal, a lawmaker in Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party, vowed that the party would not back a deal that releases dangerous terrorists while keeping many hostages in Gaza. 

“The Religious Zionist Party will not support a bad deal that leaves many of the hostages in Gaza, and that releases terrorists with blood on their hands. Israel must continue its military pressure and unleash hell on Gaza until Hamas is defeated and all of the hostages are returned,” Tal wrote on 𝕏. 

Meanwhile, there are growing signs of progress in the hostage negotiations being held in the Qatari capital Doha. Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden who spoke with Netanyahu on Sunday “stressed the immediate need” for a Gaza ceasefire agreement that secured the release of the remaining hostages. 

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office released a statement emphasizing that “Netanyahu thanked President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump for cooperating in this sacred mission.” 

During an interview with Fox News, Vice President-elect JD Vance argued that if a hostage agreement is finalized before the inauguration day on Jan. 20, “it will be because people are terrified that there’re going to be consequences for Hamas.”

Vance added that the incoming Trump administration is “hopeful there’s going to be a deal that’s struck towards the very end of Biden’s administration, maybe the last day or two.”