Smotrich may back first phase of hostage deal if Israel resumes war

Smotrich threatened to leave the government over his opposition to the hostage release deal.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has indicated that he may remain in the government and back the first phase of the hostage deal if Israel resumes the war against Hamas immediately afterward.

Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionist party, had threatened to leave the government over his opposition to the hostage release deal.

On Thursday, he said he would consider supporting the first phase of the deal if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provides written assurances that the war will continue until Hamas is eliminated, which would be a prerequisite for his party to remain in the coalition.

Although the Prime Minister’s Office indicated the guarantees could be provided, Smotrich said key issues have not yet been resolved.

In a statement, the Religious Zionist Party said, “The faction supports the demands of party chairman, Minister Bezalel Smotrich, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure Israel resumes its fight against Hamas and secures the release of all hostages.”

It continued, “They call for a revised strategy aimed at achieving a decisive victory, to be implemented immediately after the first phase of the agreement. This is a key condition for the party’s continued participation in the government and coalition.”

Religious Zionist Party MK Tzvi Succot told public broadcaster Kan Radio on Thursday morning, “I think the chances are high that we will leave the government.”

Last month, Smotrich expressed strong opposition to the potential hostage-for-prisoner deal. He told Kol Barama radio, “Hamas is at its weakest point since the war began.”

“This is not the moment to offer it any reprieve. We must continue to apply pressure and defeat it, ensuring that the hostages are returned under terms that demonstrate its surrender, not ours,” he added.

Smotrich continued, “Deals that involve releasing hundreds of terrorist murderers, who will return to killing Jews, or agreements that see us withdrawing from northern Gaza and allowing a million Gazans to come back and undo the hard-earned progress we’ve made with so much bloodshed—those are grave mistakes.

“If we weren’t negotiating with Hamas and instead focused solely on targeting them with our sights, tank fire, airstrikes, and the efforts of our heroic fighters, the hostages would have been freed long ago.”

Bezalel Smotrichhostage dealReligious Zionism