Gaza Herald – Israeli Settlement Minister Orit Strock urged that Israel should resume its genocidal war on Gaza within weeks if Hamas is not disarmed, signaling rising pressure from the far-right to advance settlement plans and further displace Palestinians. Speaking to the state broadcaster, Strock, from the extremist Religious Zionism party, said Hamas would be given “a short deadline, a few weeks as I understand it,” after which “the Israeli army will do what it does best.” She added, “This time without any hostages,” referring to the Israeli captives recently returned under the ceasefire agreement.
Strock framed the disarmament of Hamas as a key positive in the US-backed Gaza plan, despite her opposition to broader elements of the plan proposed by former US President Donald Trump. The plan includes reopening the Rafah crossing, additional Israeli withdrawals, reconstruction efforts, and disarming Hamas and other Palestinian factions. Netanyahu had previously opposed beginning reconstruction before Hamas was disarmed.
Her remarks came amid continued efforts by Israel’s far-right to push for the resumption of the war, aiming to accelerate Palestinian displacement and enforce a settler expansion project in Gaza. The statements reflect a hardline Israeli approach that ties military escalation directly to political and territorial objectives in the enclave.
Strock’s comments underscore that despite the US-mediated ceasefire, Israeli political factions continue to pressure for further military operations, keeping Gaza in a state of ongoing threat and humanitarian crisis. The fragile truce remains overshadowed by political maneuvering, settlement expansion plans, and the persistent threat of renewed large-scale violence.
