Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has denounced efforts to secure a ceasefire and captive deal in Gaza, claiming they only embolden Hamas.
“The more these reckless negotiations continue, the more incentive Hamas has to abduct again,” he said.
He dismissed the push for a deal, insisting that “the lives of our soldiers and residents in the south are more important than any normalisation or economic agreements”.
Ben Gvir, a key figure in Israel’s ultra-nationalist bloc, went on to accuse the Israeli government of aiding Hamas by pursuing a deal. “Enough negotiating with a murderous terrorist organisation and enough seeking a deal that will revive and strengthen it,” he said.
His remarks came a day after Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said its fighters killed an Israeli soldier in the southern city of Khan Y0unis.