Smotrich Urges Netanyahu to Conquer Gaza & Enforce Trump Resettlement Plan

By: Fern Sidman

Tensions within Israel’s governing coalition are escalating sharply as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party, issued a dramatic ultimatum on Wednesday, demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launch a full military campaign to seize the entire Gaza Strip, impose an Israeli military government, and begin implementation of President Trump’s Gaza resettlement plan.

As reported by World Israel News on Wednesday, Smotrich made his remarks amid a heated internal debate over whether to resume humanitarian aid transfers into Gaza — a contentious issue tied directly to Israel’s ongoing war with the Hamas terrorist organization, which has ruled the enclave since 2007. Smotrich warned that his party would leave the government if any aid is allowed to flow without ironclad safeguards ensuring Hamas cannot divert it for terror or survival.

“Delivering logistical aid that reaches Hamas is a step I will not be a part of. Period!” Smotrich declared, according to World Israel News. “Continued military stagnation and providing humanitarian aid to Hamas while our hostages are still there — is not an option.”

Smotrich’s demands extend well beyond opposition to aid. As World Israel News reported, the finance minister called for the full military conquest of Gaza, the dismantling of all remaining Hamas infrastructure, and the establishment of an Israeli-led military administration until a viable civilian alternative is identified.

Smotrich made clear that he sees temporary military governance not as a last resort but as a strategic imperative — essential for neutralizing Hamas and asserting long-term Israeli security control over Gaza.

“Managing the civilian effort in Gaza in a way that prevents it from reaching Hamas was and remains the most critical component for defeating Hamas and achieving victory in the war,” Smotrich said, as quoted by World Israel News. “It is far more important than another division or more firepower.”

Smotrich’s remarks came just hours after a stormy Israeli security cabinet session Tuesday night, where the question of resuming humanitarian aid transfers dominated discussions. According to the information provided in the World Israel News report, Defense Minister Israel Katz assured cabinet members that any future aid deliveries would be protected by both the IDF and private American contractors, with rigorous oversight to prevent diversion by Hamas.

However, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir objected to the idea of deploying Israeli soldiers to secure aid convoys. Zamir insisted that while Israel should allow humanitarian goods to enter, military personnel should not be tasked with their delivery.

“IDF soldiers will not distribute humanitarian aid, and we will not starve the Strip,” Zamir said, drawing a pointed rebuke from Smotrich during the session.

World Israel News reported that Smotrich responded by saying that the IDF has no right to defy directives from the civilian leadership, asserting civilian supremacy over military decision-making — a core principle of Israeli democracy. However, he later clarified that Prime Minister Netanyahu alone bears responsibility for any future aid policies.

In a particularly bold move, Smotrich called on Netanyahu to initiate steps aligned with President Trump’s previously floated Gaza resettlement plan, which reportedly involves regional cooperation to resettle Palestinian populations, disarm Hamas, and transform Gaza’s governance structure.

While specifics of the “Trump Plan” for Gaza have not been fully disclosed, Smotrich’s invocation of the proposal suggests a fundamental rethinking of the enclave’s future, likely involving a permanent Israeli military presence and repopulation strategies supported by international and regional actors.

“Launch a campaign to defeat Hamas, conquer Gaza, impose a temporary military administration until another solution is found, return the hostages, and initiate the Trump Plan — or this government has no right to exist,” Smotrich warned, according to the report on World Israel News.

Smotrich’s remarks significantly raise the stakes for Netanyahu’s coalition, which depends on the continued support of right-wing and religious factions. If the Religious Zionist Party were to bolt the coalition, it could trigger a political crisis or even early elections, undermining Israel’s war effort and fracturing the government at a critical juncture.

As the World Israel News report emphasized, the issue of humanitarian aid is now inextricably linked with broader strategic and ideological divisions — between those advocating for pragmatic wartime diplomacy and those demanding total military and administrative control.

Smotrich’s ultimatum is not just about aid policy — it’s about the future of Gaza and Israel’s long-term strategy following the October 7 Hamas massacre, which left over 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. The question of how to deal with Gaza post-Hamas remains one of the most complex and divisive in Israeli political life.

With no clear consensus among Israel’s political and military leadership, and with Hamas still holding hostages, the path forward remains fraught with uncertainty. But one thing is clear: the pressure on Netanyahu is mounting, and the calls from within his own government for decisive, sweeping action are growing louder.