Israeli Finance Minister and Security Cabinet member Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday urged the government to issue an ultimatum to Hamas, warning of severe consequences if the terrorist group delays hostage releases.
Speaking at the Haredi Strategy and Policy Institute conference, the Religious Zionism Party leader called on the government to cut off electricity, water and humanitarian aid to the Strip, and “to open the gates of hell” with intensifying military action.
“We have full backing from [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump to apply Israeli sovereignty to five percent of Gaza for every hostage injured in captivity, and we can do it on the same day,” he said. “The Trump plan is not just a slogan—Gaza will return to being part of the State of Israel,” Smotrich declared.
Smotrich emphasized that the war must continue until Hamas is completely destroyed. He cited security concerns as the reason for canceling a planned tree-planting event in Be’eri, highlighting the ongoing instability faced by Gaza-border communities.
“Do you think someone in the Gaza envelope communities could live a long time with the threat from Gaza, where with every remark, every bit of intelligence, any doubt, there’s a situational assessment, rise in alertness and events are canceled? Can anyone live like that?”
His comments came ahead of a planned Israeli Security Cabinet meeting aimed at discussing the launching of the second stage of the hostage-for-terrorist deal with Hamas and Israel’s red lines in those negotiations.
In response to Hamas announcing a postponement of the next scheduled hostage release, Trump vowed on Monday that “all hell is going to break out” if the terrorist group did not release the remaining hostages by noon on Saturday.