Israeli far-right ministers slam Gaza plan, Ben-Gvir waves gov't split
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Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich condemn the Trump Gaza ceasefire plan, warning of political fallout if Hamas remains intact after a prisoner exchange.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, right, visit the site of a shooting attack at a bus stop in al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)
Israeli far-right ministers have slammed the Gaza ceasefire plan, threatening to collapse the government and criticizing Netanyahu for agreeing to the proposal.
Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, threatened to leave the government if Hamas continued to exist after the release of the Israeli captives under the Trump plan for ending the war in Gaza.
“In light of recent developments, myself and the Otzma Yehudit faction informed the prime minister in a clear manner: if after the release of the hostages the Hamas terror organization remains in existence, Otzma Yehudit will not be part of the government,” Ben-Gvir stated.
He added that his party will not be a part of what he called "a national defeat" that will be an eternal disgrace and a disaster waiting to happen. The far-right minister stated that his party “would, like everyone, be happy to see the hostages return home,” but he clarified that his party “can in no way agree to a scenario in which the terror group which brought about the greatest ever catastrophe upon the State of Israel will be able to resurrect itself.”
Negotiations without being under fire serious mistake: Smotrich
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich slammed Netanyahu for agreeing to stop the Israeli war on Gaza as negotiations on the details of the ceasefire proposal put out by Trump take place.
“The prime minister’s decision to halt the offensive in Gaza and to, for the first time, conduct negotiations without being under fire is a serious mistake,” the far-right minister and leader of the Religious Zionism coalition party stated.
He claimed that the move would inevitably cause Hamas to stall for time and lead to a gradual weakening of "Israel's" stance, concerning both the swift release of all captives within a 72-hour window and the primary objective of the war, which was to eliminate Hamas and ensure the complete demilitarization of Gaza.
