DayofPal– Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Monday that Israel will not withdraw from Gaza, even if a new agreement is reached to secure the release of Israeli captives, calling Israelis to embrace the word “Occupation”.
His remarks come amid growing criticism from families of captives and rising international concern over Israel’s military escalation in the Region.
“We are finally going to occupy the Gaza Strip,” Smotrich declared during a right-wing conference hosted by the Besheva newspaper.
“There will be no retreat from the territories we have conquered—not even in exchange for hostages,” he later told Channel 12, adding, “We are taking control of all humanitarian aid, separating Hamas from the population, cleansing the Strip, bringing back the hostages—and defeating Hamas.”
Just hours before Smotrich’s statements, the Israeli cabinet approved a plan to expand its military campaign in Gaza, with the stated goal of conquering more territory.
The move marks a significant intensification of Israel’s ongoing offensive, which resumed on March 18 and has resulted in over 2,200 Palestinian deaths and more than 5,700 injuries, many of them women and children.
Families of Israeli captives reacted sharply to the government’s stance, accusing it of prioritizing land over lives. “This plan chooses territory over people and goes against the will of more than 70% of Israelis,” a representative group said in a statement.
Polls in Israel have consistently shown strong public support for a prisoner deal, even if it requires ending military operations.
Culture Minister Miki Zohar confirmed that the latest military push aims for the “complete occupation” of Gaza. Acknowledging the potential danger to Israeli captives, he said there was “no other option.”
The new cabinet plan also includes a controversial shift in the distribution of humanitarian aid. Israel will now assume direct control over all aid entering Gaza, a move international relief organizations have widely condemned.
Humanitarian groups argue that this violates key principles of aid neutrality and is being used as a military tool to exert control over life-sustaining resources.
Since early March, Israel has been blocking aid deliveries to Gaza, contributing to a worsening humanitarian crisis. Rights organizations accuse the Israeli government of using starvation as a weapon of war.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration has rejected recent offers from Hamas to release captives, reiterating its commitment to what he calls “total victory.”
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