New Crisis Shakes Government... Smotrich to Netanyahu: Stop This Nonsense

The Israeli government faced a new crisis today, Tuesday, after footage was released showing repairs to some major electricity lines in the Gaza Strip aimed at connecting them to the Israeli electricity company, following a disagreement over the release of the Shifa Hospital director, Muhammad Abu Salmiya. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that in preparation for resuming electricity supply to the sector, the Gaza Electricity Company began repairing the infrastructure that is supposed to transmit electricity to the desalination and sewage treatment station in the Deir al-Balah and Mawasi areas. It was stated that approval for the plan was granted at the political level. Israeli Channel 12 reported that Defense Minister Yoav Galant approved the supply of electricity to the water desalination station. In response to the repairs, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded an immediate halt to the electricity transfer to Gaza. He considered the decision to restore electricity to Gaza as "handing over the sector to Hamas." He addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying: "Mr. Prime Minister, stop this nonsense. Don’t say you don’t know, as happened yesterday after the release of the Shifa Hospital director."