Far-Right Israeli Minister Prioritizes Gaza Over Hostage Release, Sparking Debate

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right finance minister, ignited controversy on Monday by stating that the most crucial goal in the ongoing conflict with Hamas is not the immediate release of hostages, but rather ensuring that Hamas no longer governs the Gaza Strip.

In a radio interview, Smotrich emphasized that Israel’s primary aim should be to eliminate Hamas’s rule over Gaza. “We have promised the Israeli people that at the end of the war, Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel,” he stated.

His comments underscore a broader strategy to address Gaza’s governance, aligning with his long-standing support for building Jewish settlements in the region.

Smotrich’s remarks came amid an ongoing debate in Israel regarding the price the country should pay to bring home the hostages still held by Hamas. Over 250 people were captured during the militant group’s surprise attack in 2023, and while Israel’s war objectives have included both dismantling Hamas and rescuing the captives, achieving both has proven challenging. Palestinian officials report over 50,000 deaths in Gaza since the war began, although the exact number of combatants versus civilians remains unclear.

Hamas has demanded a permanent ceasefire in exchange for releasing more hostages, but Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have made it clear that the war will not end until Hamas surrenders. Netanyahu has argued that continued military pressure will force Hamas to accept more favorable terms.

Smotrich’s statement has struck a nerve in Israel, where there is a deeply ingrained “no one left behind” philosophy. This ethos has historically led the Israeli government to negotiate for the release of hostages, even at great political cost. For example, in January, Israel agreed to a ceasefire, exchanging over 1,500 Palestinian prisoners for 30 hostages and the remains of eight others.

Families of the remaining Israeli hostages, however, have called for an immediate agreement to release the captives, even if it means ending the war and leaving Hamas in charge of Gaza. According to Israeli officials, roughly two dozen hostages and the remains of over 30 others are still believed to be in Gaza.

The Hostages Families Forum, which represents many of the families, criticized the Israeli government, accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu’s administration of abandoning the hostages in favor of military goals. However, Netanyahu’s office has yet to comment on the claims.

As of now, more than 36 hostages have died in the ongoing conflict, some of them in Israeli airstrikes. Despite suffering heavy losses, Hamas continues to wage an insurgency against Israel, leaving many to question whether the group can ever be fully eradicated.

Netanyahu reiterated in a speech on Saturday that he would not end the war while Hamas remains in power in Gaza, accusing those advocating for a ceasefire and hostage release of echoing Hamas’s propaganda.