Finance Minister and Chairman of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich responded today (Monday), at a press conference, to criticism from the right about the cabinet's decision to send humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
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Smotrich launched an attack on Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir: "What we have been seeing since yesterday is systemic madness and complete irresponsibility. A combination of populism from those who always seek to be the right-wing right-wing and run to leak from the cabinet and brief in a biased manner, with the media and the left that want to stop the war, surrender to Hamas and overthrow the government.".
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He emphasized: "Let's start with the simplest thing - no aid is coming to Hamas. Period. Anyone who says anything else is simply lying and it's not clear to me what their motive is. I led the demand to stop the folly of bringing in thousands of trucks that Hamas took over and sold and earned a billion dollars and preserved its rule. I led the alternative response of civil society and I tell you responsibly, what was is not what will be. There will be income that is bound by the reality of a minimum of food and medicine for the population in Gaza, but none of it will reach Hamas.".
Smotrich mentioned that "the IDF has been operating since yesterday with 5 divisions in the Gaza Strip with a force not seen since the beginning of the war. And this time, with a completely different method than in the past. No more raids and entries and exits, but conquering, cleansing and remaining. Until Hamas is destroyed. Along the way, they are destroying what is still left of the Strip, simply because everything there is one big city of terror.".
""This is a tremendous change from what has happened so far, and with God's help, it will lead to victory, the destruction of Hamas, and the return of the kidnapped. As part of the war, the IDF is moving the population from the combat zones and leaving no stone unturned. The population will reach the south of the Gaza Strip and from there, with God's help, to third countries, as part of President Trump's plan - and this is a change in the course of history. Nothing less. That is the main thing. That is the goal. That is where we are going, and from there we must in no way lower our eyes and let less important things weaken us.".
Smotrich explained in depth the need for humanitarian aid at this stage. "In recent months, I have led an uncompromising demand for a 180-degree change in the way humanitarian aid is distributed, so that it does not reach Hamas and does not serve as logistical aid to the enemy, but rather reaches the minimum required for the population, so that the world does not arrest us and accuse us of war crimes. No one has cried out about this more in writing and orally, in the cabinet and outside it, than I have, at every opportunity. Thank God, I succeeded.
""First of all, the IDF is finally waging a campaign against Hamas' civilian government and not just focusing on the military infrastructure. We are eliminating ministers, officials, changelings, and elements in Hamas' economic and governmental structure. In a few days, God willing, an American civil society will begin work in the Gaza Strip, distributing the minimum food itself, directly to the civilians, with not a single grain reaching Hamas and endangering our fighters.".
""For two and a half months we did not bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and this created very great pressure on Hamas, and it is good that it did. But even pressure needs to be moderated so that it does not explode in our faces. When the IDF returned to maneuvering with all its might to occupy Gaza and it is moving a population from a place where it still had some food, and our great friends in the world, those who support us and understand that we cannot stop a moment before a complete victory and the destruction of Hamas, ask us to help them help us and dispel the lies of starvation, we need to do it. Without this we simply will not be able to fight and win. This is not surrendering to pressure, it is doing the right thing to continue to focus primarily on destroying Hamas.".
According to him, "What will come in the coming days is a little bit for bakeries that distribute pitas to people and public kitchens that provide a daily ration of cooked food. Citizens in Gaza will receive a pita and a plate of food and that's it. What we see when people stand in line for hours to get a plate of soup or stew. It will not reach Hamas. It will allow citizens to eat, for our friends in the world to continue to provide us with an international umbrella of protection against the Security Council and the Hague Tribunal, and for us to continue to fight, with God's help, until victory.".
""All attempts to escape responsibility and pass the decision from one person to another are childish and the furthest thing from leadership.".
When asked if he would like to completely stop humanitarian aid, he replied: "Maybe. I very much understand the anger and the stomach ache that we all feel. The truth is that until the last of the kidnapped people returns, we are not supposed to bring water into Gaza. But in reality, if we act like this, the world will force us to stop the war in an instant - and lose. It is to win the battle and lose the war, and I am committed to winning the war. In fact, we have been mowing down Hamas for a year and a half and dismantling Gaza's shape, leaving it in complete and unprecedented destruction in the world, and the world has not stopped us yet. There is pressure and there are those who attack us and try to stop, but they are not successful. And that is because we are navigating correctly and responsibly, and that is how we will continue.
""I say to the government's supporters, it is impossible not to give the leadership room to maneuver to navigate between pressures and constraints in order to reach the one and only required result: the occupation of Gaza, the destruction of Hamas, and the return of the hostages. And in one word: victory.".
""As someone who throughout the war represented a firm line that refuses to stop and surrender and demands to continue until victory, as someone who is not suspected of stuttering in the face of those who urge us to surrender, as someone who is subject to criticism and insults and also knows how to confront the IDF's senior command from day one, as someone who led the demand to stop the folly of transferring aid to Hamas and who practically led the change in the way aid is distributed, as someone who personally has countless immediate family members fighting in Gaza and is not suspected of being willing to endanger them, God forbid, unnecessarily - I put myself on this thing.".
""It's probably not popular in the base and it's not politically profitable. It's much better to get into a fight and have a competition about who's more right-wing and who's more manly. But from the first day of the war, I put all politics aside. When my brothers are losing their lives in the war, I don't do politics. I'm also willing not to be re-elected for the sake of victory.".
""And for the sake of victory, one must strongly object to those who sow discontent and distrust during the war and weaken the fighters with lies.".
"For victory, we have to tell the truth: We changed the entire operational concept and we're going all the way this time. We changed the entire civilian effort and this time nothing will get into Hamas. It took time, it waited for the change of administration in the US, it required a change of chief of staff and quite a few other struggles, but finally it's in the right direction and now we need to strengthen and get stronger and not weaken, God forbid.".
He addressed the Prime Minister and said: "Take responsibility, show leadership. Speak to the public and explain. Reflect our determination and do not let rumors, leaks, and irresponsible spin lead the agenda and sow confusion and concerns among the public and among the fighters.".
""The history of our people will judge us all. Not biased and fabricated polls and not retired tweeters. I stand here and take responsibility. I say to the fighters and commanders, to the reservists and their families: Do not believe the cries and laments, do not listen to the weaklings, from the right and the left. Trust, rely on me, continue with heroism, dedication and faith. We are cutting the enemy's form and are determined not to stop until the mission is completed with all our might.".
After Smotrich's press conference, Prime Minister Netanyahu tweeted: "Well done, you told the truth, you demonstrated leadership. Together we will defeat Hamas.".
