Israeli minister says Gaza must be ‘entirely destroyed’

A right-wing Israeli minister says victory for Israel won’t come until Gaza is “entirely destroyed” and Palestinians are forced out into other countries.

Israeli Finance Minister Bazalel Smotrich made the statement during a Tuesday appearance at a conference on Jewish settlements in the West Bank. While Smotrich is a senior Israeli official, his statement does not represent the official policy of the Israeli government.

“Within a year we will be able to declare victory in Gaza,” he told attendees. “Gaza will be entirely destroyed, civilians will be sent to… the south to a humanitarian zone without Hamas or terrorism, and from there they will start to leave in great numbers to third countries,” Smotrich said, according to the Agence France-Presse.

“Israel does not intend to withdraw from territories the IDF captures, not even as part of a deal to release hostages,” he added.

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Smotrich’s comments come just a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government approved a plan to take over Gaza and hold it for an undefined period on Monday.

Netanyahu said in a video message the operation would be “intensive” and would see more Palestinians moved to southern Gaza “for their own safety.”

Israeli Cabinet ministers approved the plan Monday morning, but it will only take effect if a hostage deal is not reached by the time President Donald Trump visits Israel on May 13.

Israel currently controls roughly 50% of Gaza, and the plan would see Israeli forces expand into the south. Officials said the plan is set to be implemented gradually, with Israeli forces rooting out Hamas control over territories.

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Dubbed Operation Gideon’s Chariots, the plan would also seek to prevent the militant Hamas group from distributing humanitarian aid, which Israel says strengthens the group’s rule in Gaza. It also accuses Hamas of keeping the aid for itself to bolster its capabilities. The plan also included powerful strikes against Hamas targets, the officials said.

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“We want our troops to fight against a tired, hungry, and exhausted enemy, not one that has supplies and aid coming from outside the strip,” Smotrich said in a statement on Monday.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.