Gaza Herald – Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich escalated rhetoric on Monday, declaring that Israel will soon deliver what he described as a “final ultimatum” to Hamas, demanding that its leadership leave Gaza and surrender all weapons, infrastructure, and tunnel networks.
The far-right minister warned that if Hamas refuses, Israel would claim full legitimacy to act unilaterally. “If Hamas does not comply, we will obtain the legitimacy to move on our own,” he said, signaling a potential large-scale military escalation.
Smotrich further stated that if US President Donald Trump fails to eliminate Hamas, the Israeli army would seek international legitimacy and American backing to carry out the objective itself. He stressed that Israel has not abandoned its declared goal of dismantling Hamas but had given Washington space to pursue that outcome through its own approach.
According to Israeli media reports, Smotrich confirmed that the military is already drafting operational plans, adding bluntly: “In the end, we will occupy Gaza and establish a Jewish settlement there.”
The remarks follow comments last week in which Smotrich said he intended to “encourage migration” of Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, reiterating opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state. His statements come amid intensified settlement expansion under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current government, widely regarded as the most right-wing coalition in Israel’s history, particularly since the outbreak of the Gaza genocide on October 7, 2023.
The ceasefire agreement that entered into force in October stipulated a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the dismantling of Hamas’s armed capabilities, and the reconstruction of the enclave. Israel has yet to withdraw, while Hamas maintains that the issue of its weapons must be resolved internally through Palestinian national dialogue.
