Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said that Israel will permanently seize land in Gaza if Hamas fails to return all of the hostages it is holding, both living and dead, by Saturday.
Speaking at the Sovereignty Conference in Jerusalem, the Religious Zionism Party leader said that if the terror group failed to meet his deadline, "Israel will expand the agricultural areas of the kibbutzim Be’eri and Nir Oz into the perimeter area of the Gaza Strip".
Kibbutz agriculture, he continued, "will expand at the expense of Gaza—and this land will remain in our hands forever".
This ultimatum was the most concrete action plan that came out of the conference, an annual ultranationalist event aimed at developing policies to integrate the West Bank and Gaza into the State of Israel.
During his address, Smotrich also said that Israel would return to fighting in Gaza, but did not indicate when this might happen.
"We are preparing, gaining capabilities, and when we feel we are ready, we will open the gates of hell on Hamas again. It requires patience, but in the end we will bring about the desired outcome," he said.
Smotrich has previously demanded that Israel restart the war with Hamas instead of entering into the second phase of the ceasefire deal (due on March 2, though negotiators are reportedly looking to push the deadline back) and threatened to resign and collapse the government if this is not done.
However, he has confirmed that he will remain in government if the first phase of the deal is extended in exchange for more hostages.
During a later Q&A with Channel 12, Smotrich said that, in a year from now, Gaza will be “held by us, with fewer Gazans and more Israelis moving there”.
He added: “If we take out 10,000 Gazans a day, within four months the Strip will be empty. That would be the best solution – for us and for them.”
The minister also suggested that a resumption of Israel's military campaign in Gaza would “make more areas look like Jabaliya (which was heavily bombarded by the IDF), and this will convince many Gazans to leave”.
His vision has echoes of US President Trump’s plan to “take over” Gaza and resettle its population, which has attracted fervent support from Smotrich’s far-right faction – as well as from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Smotrich is scheduled to visit the US next week for talks with his American counterpart, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to a report by Ynet.
Elsewhere, Knesset Member Dan Illouz of Netanyahu’s Likud Party argued at the conference that the Trump administration will provide “a diplomatic Iron Dome, defending [Israeli] sovereignty from the international community” adding: “Israeli sovereignty will become consensus and irreversible”.
Meanwhile, US Senator Ted Cruz, a passionate advocate of Israel and latter-day Trump ally, sent the conference attendees a recorded video message.
“Israel has an absolute right to determine what happens in [the West Bank].” said Cruz. “This right is described in the Bible and it extends through modern times. As you meet today, have confidence that the American people stand with you. And with President Trump and our new Republican Congress, the American government stands with you as well.” he added.
