At a press conference in Jerusalem on 28/8, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a plan to "achieve victory in Gaza" by the end of the year, ending the conflict that erupted in October 2023.
Under Smotrich's proposal, Israel would issue an ultimatum to Hamas, demanding they surrender, disarm, and release the hostages held in Gaza. If the group refuses, Israel would annex a portion of Gaza each week for 4 weeks, bringing most of the territory under complete Israeli control.
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Finance Minister Smotrich at an event in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on 14/8. Photo: AFP |
Finance Minister Smotrich at an event in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on 14/8. Photo: AFP
To implement the plan, Palestinians would be required to evacuate to southern Gaza. The Israeli military would then tighten its siege in the north and central areas to eliminate Hamas fighters, culminating in the annexation of these regions.
"The operation could be completed in 3-4 months," Smotrich said, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "approve this entire plan immediately."
Hamas condemned Smotrich's proposal as "open support for a policy of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing" targeting Palestinians.
Smotrich's statements come as the Israeli military prepares for an offensive to take control of Gaza City, Gaza's largest city, raising concerns about the fate of Palestinian civilians concentrated there.
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Location of Gaza City and other urban areas in the Gaza Strip. Graphic: BBC |
Location of Gaza City and other urban areas in the Gaza Strip. Graphic: BBC
Finance Minister Smotrich is a far-right member of Prime Minister Netanyahu's ruling coalition. He is a supporter of the Israeli settlement movement and lives in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
On 20/8, Smotrich announced that the planning committee of the Israeli Ministry of Defense had approved a plan to build around 3,400 homes for settlers in E1, an undeveloped area east of Jerusalem. The project would bisect the West Bank area currently controlled by Israel and separate it from East Jerusalem, effectively "eliminating the idea of a Palestinian state."
Nhu Tam (AFP, Times of Israel)
