Israeli minister states Gaza war must proceed

(MENAFN) Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared on Monday that the conflict in Gaza must persist until Israel achieves a “decisive victory,” rejecting any calls for ceasefire or negotiated settlements.

Speaking at a press briefing, Smotrich described Israel’s campaign as a fight against a “crushed terrorist organization” and cautioned that stopping the operation prematurely would pose the greatest threat to the nation’s future. He emphasized that the war should end decisively, without agreements or mediators.

His comments come amid growing disagreements within Israel’s cabinet over the direction of Operation Gideon’s Chariots. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to reconvene the security cabinet later this week after multiple unsuccessful attempts to agree on a strategy.

Mediators from Egypt and Qatar have proposed a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of some Israeli hostages and expanded humanitarian aid to Gaza. A previous U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement collapsed in March when Israel resumed military actions.

Last week, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir stated that the current stage of the ground operation was nearing its objectives. Israel has escalated its offensive in recent weeks after negotiations stalled over the fate of roughly 20 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas.

The war began with a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 Israelis and capturing about 250 hostages. In response, Israel launched an extensive bombardment of Gaza, leaving much of the area devastated.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, over 56,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died since the conflict began. The UN reports that more than 400 people were killed while seeking aid after the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operations in late May, following a prolonged Israeli blockade.

On Monday, Israeli media reported that the Israel Defense Forces acknowledged civilian casualties near aid distribution sites but challenged the accuracy of casualty numbers reported by Hamas.

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