Smotrich – emerging deal is a “national security catastrophe” – Israel News

The emerging hostage deal is a “catastrophe for national security,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a statement Monday morning.

“We will not participate in a surrender agreement that would include the release of the main terrorists, the end of the war and the dissolution of its gains acquired at the cost of much blood, as well as the abandonment of many hostages,” declared Smotrich.

“Now is the time to continue in full force, to conquer and cleanse the entire Gaza Strip, to finally remove control of humanitarian aid from Hamas and to open the gates of hell on Gaza, until the complete surrender of Hamas and the return of the entire Gaza Strip. the hostages,” Smotrich concluded.

Shortly after this statement, Smotrich attended a meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee on the 2025 budget. The committee’s chairman, MK Moshe Gafni, opened the meeting by giving the floor to family members of the hostages.

Reactions from hostage families

Ofir Angrest, brother of Matan, a soldier held hostage in Gaza, criticized Smotrich in the Knesset Finance Committee, arguing that Smotrich was “sacrificing” his brother.

Dolev Yehud, father of Arbel Yehud, also held captive in Gaza, called for a minute of silence, during which he held up a sign reading “release my daughter.”

At another event in the Knesset Constitutional Committee, Likud MK Eliyahu Revivo shouted at Yehuda Cohen, father of hostage Nimrod Cohen, that “if you continue with your foul language, you will send your son many more years in Hamas dungeons.” Revivo’s comments come after Cohen accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of war crimes and accused the Religious Zionist Party of “fascism” and “only caring about death.”

The chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, MK Ohad Tal, wrote in English on Israel must continue its military pressure and unleash hell on Gaza until Hamas is defeated and all hostages are returned. »