Israeli Finance Minister Calls for Expansion of War Government

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has been excluded from the war government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called on Monday to "involve legislators who take a tougher stance toward Hamas in decisions related to the war." He stated, "I believe this grave mistake necessitates the expansion of the war government," considering that "allowing fuel to enter provided Hamas with a lifeline during the war." Smotrich mentioned that "the war government must include opinions that have not been heard until today," including those with a record of advocating for the elimination of Hamas. Smotrich and other hardline members of the broader government have been excluded from much of the decision-making process, and the minister specifically criticized the decision made last week to accept a U.S. request to allow some fuel into Gaza for humanitarian reasons.