“We are at a crucial and fateful moment”

MADRID Jan 15 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Minister of Finance of Israel, the far-right Bezalel Smotrich, has been undecided this Wednesday about the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) that is being negotiated indirectly in Qatar, which is why he has avoided confirming how he plans to vote, even though he has previously opposed similar proposals.

“We are at a crucial and decisive moment for the security, future and existence of the State of Israel. The only thing before me is one thing, and I care about it with all my heart and soul, and that is how to achieve all the objectives of the war: complete victory, the total destruction of Hamas militarily and civilly, and the return of all our hostages home,” he declared through his profile on the social network X.

Smotrich has indicated that he is choosing his decision “in silence, in closed rooms, with a very practical, serious, incisive and profound speech”, as is his “custom at this time.” “The only thing I worry about is how to win, how to destroy Hamas, how to return all our hostages home. I will not rest or remain silent until these objectives are achieved,” he added.

The day before, Israel’s Minister of National Security, also a far-right Itamar Ben Gvir, asked his “friend” Smotrich to “cooperate fully against the horrible agreement that is being forged” and to join the demands on the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, so that he does not sign it, at the risk of both parties causing the collapse of the Executive.

Ben Gvir considered that this is a “terrible” agreement that “includes the release of hundreds of terrorists from prisons, the return of Gazans, including thousands of terrorists, to the north of the Strip and the withdrawal of the Army from the corridor.” of Netzarim”. Thus, he maintained that the pact “would effectively erase the war achievements greatly achieved by the combatants.”

Israeli authorities estimate that 94 of the 251 kidnapped on October 7 remain held in Gaza, including the bodies of 34 people whose deaths have already been confirmed by the Israeli Army. To date, eight hostages have been rescued alive, while the Israeli military has recovered the bodies of 40 of those kidnapped. In addition, three died after being shot by Israeli soldiers when they tried to escape their captors.

The Israeli Army launched an offensive against Gaza after the aforementioned attacks on October 7, 2023, which left some 1,200 dead. Since then, the Gazan authorities, controlled by Hamas, have reported the deaths of nearly 46,600 people, in addition to more than 850 Palestinians killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem at the hands of Israeli forces or in attacks carried out by settlers.