Israeli Finance Minister Warns Netanyahu Against Canceling Rafah Operation

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a statement today directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning him against canceling the military operation in Rafah. In a video statement, Smotrich stated, "Approval of the Egyptian proposal is a humiliating surrender and grants victory to the Nazis at the expense of the hundreds of hero Israeli soldiers who fell in battle, and it sentences to death the captives not included in the deal." He added, "Approval of this proposal poses an existential threat to the State of Israel." He continued, "If you decide to raise the white flag and immediately cancel the order to occupy Rafah in order to complete the mission of destroying Hamas, restoring security to the residents of the south and to Israeli citizens, and returning all captives to their homes, then the government you lead will not have the right to exist." Earlier, the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth revealed the proposal put forth by Egypt. The newspaper reported that "the proposal includes the release of all Israeli captives, an agreement for a ceasefire for one year, and the cancellation of the Rafah invasion."