His remarks come as efforts to reach an agreement have been revived, with progress made and officials expressing hope of finalizing a deal. Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have issued several threats whenever a deal is close. The two far-right ministers have threatened to quit and collapse the governing coalition if Netanyahu agrees to a Gaza ceasefire proposal. However, this time, Smotrich did not threaten to leave the government if the deal is approved. On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Smotrich to try to persuade him to support the deal, according to the public broadcaster KAN. Qatar has handed Israel and Hamas a "final" draft of a ceasefire and prisoner release agreement designed to end the war in Gaza, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Monday. A breakthrough was reached in Doha after midnight following talks between Israel's spy chiefs, President-elect Trump's Middle East envoy and Qatar’s prime minister, the official said. The talks come as Israel continues its relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip, particularly the north of the enclave, which has been subject to a brutal siege for more than 100 days. Gaza’s Government Media Office said on Sunday that 5,000 people have been killed or are missing due to the ongoing attacks. Israel’s assault in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children, and displaced more than 90 percent of the territory’s population from their homes, according to the UN.העסקה המתגבשת היא קטסטרופה לביטחון הלאומי של מדינת ישראל.
— בצלאל סמוטריץ' (@bezalelsm) January 13, 2025
לא נהיה חלק מעסקת כניעה שתכלול שיחרור ארכי מחבלים, עצירת מלחמה ומסמוס הישגיה שנקנו בדמים מרובים, והפקרת חטופים רבים.
זה הזמן להמשיך בכל הכוח, לכבוש ולטהר את כל הרצועה, לקחת סוף סוף מידי חמאס את השליטה על הסיוע ההומניטרי…
‘Catastrophe’: Israel’s Smotrich Doubles Down on Opposition to Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Also Read
News
Israeli Soldier Staged Fake Kidnapping to Extort Money From Palestinian Family
Israeli human rights group B'Tselem's executive director, Yuli Novak, said: “The Israeli regime has turned its prisons into a network of torture camps for Palestinians, as part of a coordinated onslaught intended to destroy Palestinian society as a collective.”
News
Netanyahu Says Rafah Crossing to Open Only After Recovery of Israeli Soldier’s Body
Israel says it will open the Rafah crossing only for individuals and under full Israeli control, while continuing to block the entry of aid and goods into Gaza, tying any broader opening to the recovery of an Israeli soldier’s body despite the ceasefire terms.
News
Pam Bondi Says DOJ Will Seek Death Penalty for American Citizen Elias Rodriguez After Israeli Embassy Incident
US Attorney General Pam Bondi says the Justice Department will seek the death penalty for Elias Rodriguez after an incident against former Israeli soldiers at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, a move she announced at a Florida Zionist conference while framing the case within a broader crackdown on alleged ‘antisemitism’ .