‘Israeli cabinet has not discussed ousting Hamas in Gaza,’ claims minister

Israel’s Transport and Intelligence Minister has said that the Cabinet has not discussed proposals to oust Hamas in Gaza over the past three years, the Times of Israel reported on Sunday.

“I have been a member of the cabinet for more than three years,” Israel Katz told Army Radio. “There are many operative plans, including some with the goal of toppling Hamas, but no plan to topple Hamas has been placed on the Cabinet agenda in the past three years.”

Katz also criticised Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who said on Friday that he is not involved in the talks between Israel and Hamas. “All Israeli citizens should feel bad if that announcement was made [by Lieberman],” Katz said. “I do not need to leak from Cabinet meetings that the Defence Minister is involved in what is happening. Of course, he is involved.”