Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has demanded the government immediately begin annexing parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas refuses to surrender weapons and release hostages. far-right minister, has consistently opposed any agreements with Hamas to end the nearly two-year conflict. During a press conference in Jerusalem, he outlined his strategy to “win in Gaza by the end of the year.”
Smotrich Outlines Step-by-Step Annexation Plan
Smotrich insists Hamas must accept an immediate ultimatum: surrender, disarm completely, and free all remaining hostages. Consequently, he demands Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu adopt this strategy without delay. Furthermore, if Hamas rejects this demand, Smotrich proposes weekly annexation of Gaza territory sections for four consecutive weeks which would ultimately bring most of the Gaza Strip under full Israeli control.
Smotrich detailed a phased approach. First, he proposed that Palestinians should relocate south within Gaza. Next, Israel would impose a siege on the northern and central regions to eliminate any remaining Hamas militants. Finally, the plan would culminate in annexation. “This can be achieved in three to four months,” he asserted.
Palestinians Condemn “Ethnic Cleansing” Proposal
His remarks coincide with intensified Israeli military operations targeting Gaza City, the territory’s largest urban center. Meanwhile, deep concern grows over the safety of Palestinian civilians trapped there, with over two million Gazans experiencing displacement at least once during this brutal conflict.
Hamas swiftly condemned Smotrich’s proposal, as the Palestinian militant group called it “an open endorsement of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing.”
Smotrich is not alone in his views as several far-right members of Israel’s ruling coalition have expressed support for re-establishing settlements in the Gaza Strip where Israel withdrew troops and settlers from this area in 2005. As a staunch supporter of the settler movement, Smotrich lives in a settlement in the occupied West Bank. Recently, he authorized a significant settlement project in the E1 area, east of Jerusalem. Critics argue that this project threatens the territorial integrity of any future Palestinian state. Smotrich has stated that the E1 project aims to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”
