Smotrich calls Gaza deal 'catastrophe', angers captives' families

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
13 Jan 2025 20:55
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Dozens of family members of the captives storm into a meeting room in the Knesset where the Finance Committee was convening to discuss the 2025 budget.

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Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli Minister of Finance, addresses the parliament in occupied al-Quds, on March 27, 2023. (AP)

Relatives of Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip sharply and angrily criticized Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday for opposing a ceasefire-prisoner exchange agreement being negotiated in Qatar.

Dozens of family members of the captives stormed into a meeting room in the Knesset, where the Finance Committee was convening to discuss the 2025 budget.

A verbal altercation ensued with the minister, lasting over an hour, during which they accused him of "abandoning the captives."

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Verbal altercations erupted between the families of Israeli prisoners and minister Smotrich in the Knesset following his tweet opposing the deal. The mother of one of the deceased prisoners showed Smotrich pictures of her son and cried out in tears: “Is it… https://t.co/3CutpbuL9F pic.twitter.com/3DplEnI38l
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) January 13, 2025

Smotrich: 'Now is time to continue with all our might'

Earlier on Monday, Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, issued a statement warning that his party “will not be part of” the proposed agreement, which he described as "a catastrophe for Israel’s national security."

"We will not be part of a surrender deal that would include releasing terrorists, stopping the war and dissolving the achievements that were paid for with much blood, and abandoning many hostages," he asserted.

He argued that "now is the time to continue with all our might, to occupy and cleanse the entire Strip, to finally take control of humanitarian aid from Hamas, and to open the gates of hell on Gaza until Hamas surrenders completely and all the hostages are returned."

Smotrich's statement followed a report by the Walla news website on Sunday, which claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was attempting to gauge whether the minister would resign from the government if the deal were finalized.

According to the report, Netanyahu believes there is a strong likelihood that Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir would leave the government in response to the deal.

The prime minister is reportedly seeking to persuade Smotrich to merely vote against the agreement, rather than exiting the coalition altogether, as the deal is expected to secure cabinet approval without the support of the two ministers.

The coalition, led by Netanyahu, is anticipated to maintain majority backing for the agreement even if the two ministers' parties oppose it. The agreement would require approval from the security cabinet and the government but would not need a Knesset vote.