Skip to main content

Israeli minister: stopping Gaza war now would be folly

1 min Mena Today

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday it would be a huge mistake to stop Israel's military offensive in Gaza now.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Reuters/Amir Cohen

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Reuters/Amir Cohen

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday it would be a huge mistake to stop Israel's military offensive in Gaza now.

Smotrich, who heads a pro-settler party which is part of Prime Minister Netanyahu's governing coalition, made the comment as Israeli officials continued talks via mediators about a possible ceasefire deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas.

He wrote on social media platform X: "Hamas is collapsing and begging for a ceasefire. This is the time to squeeze the neck until we crush and break the enemy. To stop now, just before the end, and let him recover and fight us again, is a senseless folly."

Reporting by Christian Lowe; Editing by Hugh Lawson

Related

Lebanon

Israel orders full evacuation of Nabatieh

The Israeli military ordered the full evacuation of the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, ahead of strikes targeting Hezbollah. 

Lebanon

Israel vows stronger military action against Hezbollah

Israel will escalate strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, as a U.S. official said the militia had ignored warnings to halt firing at Israel in a conflict that could threaten U.S.-Iran negotiations.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.