Any prolonged halt in fighting inside the Gaza Strip endangers Israeli forces and progress made in the IDF’s war on Hamas thus far, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich charged Wednesday morning, voicing his concern over reports of a month-long truce being ‘broadly’ agreed upon.
As per reports, Israel and Hamas broadly agree in principle that an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners could take place during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is being held up by the two sides’ differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war.
Two Egyptian security sources said that there was work underway to convince Hamas to accept a one-month truce to be followed by a permanent ceasefire.
However, Hamas is requesting guarantees that the second phase of the deal would be carried out, in order to agree to the initial truce, the sources said.
Smotrich: Stopping Gaza war now would endanger entire operation
“Stopping the war at such sensitive timing could endanger the entire operation and bring about huge costs in the Gaza Strip and other fronts,” the finance minister said in a letter demanding the immediate convening of the security cabinet.
In his letter, Smotrich further demanded to receive “clarifications” over foreign reports and stressed that such an agreement would be something he “could not support.”
בעד החזרת החטופים, נגד עסקה גרועה
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) January 24, 2024
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also raised his opposition to the reported agreement, writing on X, “in favor of returning the hostages, against an awful deal.”
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