“For every day the hostages remain captive, we annex 5% of Gaza’s territory.”
By World Israel News Staff:
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich defended his opposition to the hostage-for-prisoners release deal, stating that the agreement could lead to “rivers of blood.”
Smotrich told Israel HaYom, “I am relieved for every hostage who returns, but this deal is deeply flawed, and the price is too high. You will see — we will all grieve later,” he said.
“Everyone focuses on the emotional reunions of families, but forgets about the families of those whose loved ones’ murderers are being freed,” he added.
“Even more concerning is that we don’t consider those who may become the next victims when terrorists with blood on their hands return to terror,” Smotrich said.
“This deal could result in rivers of blood.”
Smotrich proposed annexing Gaza as a way to pressure Hamas into releasing the captives.
“Rather than paying in blood and releasing terrorists, we should establish a new approach – for every day the hostages remain captive, we annex 5% of Gaza’s territory,” Smotrich proposed.
In early February, Smotrich outlined this plan to put pressure on Hamas at a conference on the integration of the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) population.
“We need to set an ultimatum for Hamas,” Smotrich said, a day after Trump issued his own ultimatum, demanding the terror group release all Israeli hostages still in captivity by Saturday at noon.
“Cut off their electricity and water and stop the humanitarian aid,” Smotrich said. “We must open the gates of hell.”
The minister further proposed that for every hostage harmed while in captivity, Israel would annex 5% of the Gaza Strip – a position he claimed to have the backing of President Donald Trump.
“For each hostage that something happens to, on that same day, we will annex 5% of the Gaza Strip. We have the full backing of President Trump,” he said.
Additionally, Smotrich called on the IDF to actively search for and arrest every Palestinian terrorist freed as part of the deal with Hamas.