Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sharply criticized a cabinet decision to allow more aid into Gaza, calling it a 'grave mistake' that benefits Hamas. He also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to ensure the military follows government directives in the war against Hamas, hinting at potential 'next steps' without explicitly threatening to quit the coalition.
Influential far-right Israeli minister criticizes Netanyahu over Gaza aid policy
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sharply criticized a cabinet decision to allow more aid into Gaza, calling it a 'grave mistake' that benefits Hamas. He also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to ensure the military follows government directives in the war against Hamas, hinting at potential 'next steps' without explicitly threatening to quit the coalition.
Trending- 1 October 2023: Hamas attacked southern Israel, leading to the eruption of the war.
- 2 May (previous year): Israel partially lifted a nearly three-month blockade on aid.
- 3 June 27 (previous year): Israeli officials stated the government had temporarily stopped aid from entering north Gaza.
- 4 January (current year): Smotrich threatened to withdraw his Religious Zionism party from the government if Israel agreed to a complete end to the war before achieving its objectives.
- 5 Sunday (current day): Smotrich sharply criticized a cabinet decision to allow some aid into Gaza.
- 6 Sunday (current day): An Israeli team left for Qatar for talks on a possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.
- 7 Monday (next day): Netanyahu is due to hold talks in Washington with President Donald Trump on a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day Gaza ceasefire.
- Increased internal political tension within Israel's ruling coalition
- Potential for Smotrich to take further action, possibly impacting government stability
- Continued debate and scrutiny over humanitarian aid policy in Gaza
- Impact on ongoing ceasefire and hostage negotiation efforts
What: Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich publicly criticized the cabinet's decision to allow additional aid into Gaza, asserting it would benefit Hamas, and expressed concerns about the military's adherence to government directives in the ongoing conflict.
When: Published on July 6, 2025 (Sunday); discusses events from October 2023 (Hamas attack) to current diplomatic efforts (Netanyahu's upcoming talks in Washington, Israeli team in Qatar).
Where: Israel, Gaza, Washington D.C., Qatar.
Why: Smotrich believes that allowing more aid into Gaza provides 'logistical support for the enemy' (Hamas) and undermines Israel's war objectives, reflecting internal coalition tensions and hardline opposition to any perceived concessions or ceasefire.
How: Smotrich voiced his criticism on X (formerly Twitter), publicly challenging the Prime Minister's policy and hinting at potential political actions, though stopping short of an explicit threat to withdraw his party from the coalition.