Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to “annihilate” Hamas in Gaza after the terrorist organization reportedly rejected U.S. Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff’s latest proposal for a hostages-for-ceasefire deal.
“Mr. Prime Minister, after Hamas has once again rejected the proposed deal, there is no more excuse—for anyone—to continue this stagnation in Gaza. We have already missed enough opportunities,” Ben-Gvir tweeted.
“It’s time to go in with full force—to destroy, to kill and to annihilate Hamas,” he said, referencing the decree against the Jews in Persia in the mid-fourth century BCE, as mentioned in the book of Esther (3:13).
Ben-Gvir issued the statement hours after a senior Hamas official told the BBC that the terrorist organization intends to turn down the most recent U.S. offer for a temporary ceasefire in the war in the Gaza Strip.
The official told the British broadcaster that the current Witkoff outline does not meet Hamas’s core demand from Jerusalem—a “permanent” end to hostilities. He stressed that Hamas was still in contact with mediators and would submit its written response “in due course.”
Witkoff’s latest ceasefire proposal includes the two-stage release of 10 living hostages and 18 bodies, in exchange for the release of terrorists and a 60-day truce aimed at facilitating talks to end the conflict, according to reports on Thursday.
The proposal, which Israel signed off on, would allow Jerusalem to resume military operations if negotiations fail to yield a final deal.
Humanitarian aid distribution would return to being managed by the United Nations rather than by the U.S.-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Additionally, the Israeli army would withdraw from areas captured since it launched “Operation Strength and Sword” on March 18.
Netanyahu told hostages’ families during a meeting on Thursday he was prepared to move forward with the deal, the Axios news outlet reported.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Thursday that Israel signed off on the outline before it was shared with Hamas.
“I can also confirm that those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home,” she said during the briefing. Asked whether Hamas had accepted the proposal, Leavitt responded, “Not to my knowledge.”
Fifty-eight hostages are still being held by Hamas in Gaza after more than 600 days, some 20 of whom are believed by Israel to be alive.
Netanyahu has defined his government’s war goals as returning all of the hostages, eliminating Hamas’s military and governing capabilities and ensuring that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to Israel.