The head of the "Religious Zionism" party and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against accepting the proposed deal with Hamas, holding up an image of the movement's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, during a meeting with his party. According to Israeli media on Monday, July 8, 2024, Smotrich stated in a party meeting while raising Sinwar's image, "This is the picture we will have in Gaza if, God forbid, we sign the illegal deal."
Smotrich raised the picture of the leader Yahya Sinwar and said, "This is the picture we will have in Gaza if we agree to the illegal deal. Prime Minister Netanyahu, this is not the absolute victory you promised... this will be a total failure, and I will not be part of a government that accepts that deal."
The leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party added, "This deal is a defeat and humiliation for Israel and a victory for Sinwar," adding, "Accepting the deal is not a crushing victory but a crushing defeat, and we will not be part of a surrender deal to Hamas; we cannot let down the families of the fallen soldiers or put the state in danger."
Smotrich directed his remarks to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating, "We will not be part of a surrender deal to Hamas," warning Netanyahu that his party might withdraw from the government.
Earlier on Monday, Smotrich rejected via a post on the X platform any prisoner exchange agreement with Palestinian factions in Gaza, considering that stopping the war on the sector now is "foolish." He claimed in his post that "Hamas is collapsing and begging for a ceasefire; this is the right time to press on the enemy's neck until we crush and defeat him."
