Israel minister: stopping Gaza war now would be folly

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said today that it would be a huge mistake to stop Israel’s military offensive in Gaza now, Reuters reports.

Smotrich, who is a far-right member of the Knesset who heads a pro-settler party which forms part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, made the comment as Israeli officials continued talks via mediators about a possible ceasefire deal with Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

Taking to social media platform X, Smotrich said: “Hamas is collapsing and begging for a ceasefire. This is the time to squeeze the neck until we crush and break the enemy. To stop now, just before the end, and let him recover and fight us again, is a senseless folly.”

Netanyahu’s office on Friday said an Israeli delegation will head to Qatar this week to continue negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire proposal.

Read: Israel opposition leader Gantz tells Netanyahu he will back any prisoner swap deal with Hamas