On Thursday evening, April 25, 2024, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on the intelligence service (Mossad) to assassinate the leaders of the Hamas movement and completely destroy the Gaza Strip.
This came in a series of posts on the “X” platform, after the Hebrew media revealed details of an Israeli initiative presented by the negotiating team (which includes Mossad, the Shin Bet, and the army) to the war council on Thursday evening, regarding a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
Smotrich said: “It is time for the Mossad to return to doing what it was trained to do, eliminating Hamas leaders all over the world, and not (engaging in) negotiations that are conducted irresponsibly and harm Israel’s security.”
The minister, head of the “Religious Zionism” party, expressed his rejection of any negotiation with Hamas regarding a prisoner exchange deal, saying: “We must talk to Hamas, from now on only with missiles and bombs.”
He called for the invasion of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip “as quickly and as forcefully as possible, and to continue throughout the Strip until its complete destruction.”
Smotrich concluded by saying: “This is necessary for Israel’s security, and it is the only chance to return the kidnapped people. It is enough to waste time and confusion.”
