Smotrich says defeating Hamas requires Israeli control and settlements in Gaza

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that completely defeating Hamas would require Israel to occupy and maintain control over the Gaza Strip and establish Israeli settlements there.

According to Israel’s Channel 7, Smotrich argued that negotiations with Hamas leaders were incompatible with the Israeli government’s stated objective of eliminating the movement. He said Israel should not be negotiating with Hamas figures whom, in his view, it should instead be seeking to eliminate.

His remarks come amid renewed Israeli and US discussions over the future governance, security and reconstruction of Gaza as efforts continue to advance US President Donald Trump’s plan for the territory.

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Separately, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel and the Peace Council had agreed to establish two working groups dealing with issues related to Gaza.

According to Netanyahu’s office, the first group will focus on the disarmament of Gaza, with Israel maintaining that disarmament must be completed before reconstruction begins.

A second working group will address sanitation, water and health conditions in Gaza and their potential implications for Israel.

The announcement coincided with Netanyahu’s talks on Gaza with US envoy Jared Kushner and former UN Middle East envoy Nikolay Mladenov.

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