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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned that if Hamas does not return all hostages by Saturday, Israel will permanently seize land in the Gaza Strip.
The Religious Zionism Party leader stated that if the hostages—both living and deceased—are not returned, “Israel will expand the agricultural areas of Kibbutzim Be’eri and Nir Oz into the perimeter area of the Gaza Strip.”
He made the statement at the B'sheva 22nd Jerusalem Conference.
ILTV caught up with Smotrich on the sidelines of the event.
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MINISTER BEZALEL SMOTRICH
( ILTV)
Smotrich: "Our current approach to getting the hostages out is not working—Hamas is not buying it," said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. "Instead, we are being asked to release hundreds of prisoners who, God forbid, will return to kill us. Hamas needs to be threatened.
I told the prime minister: The day we resume fighting, the day this phase of the deal ends, we need to tell Hamas—we know exactly how many hostages are alive in Gaza. If even one of them is harmed, we will enact sovereignty over 5% of the Gaza Strip. Then another 5%, and another 5%, and another 5%. You will see—Hamas will protect the lives of our hostages more than its own, and they will return them.
Because what matters most to Hamas is land. They don’t care if dozens of their people are killed—they place no value on life; they glorify death. It doesn’t even matter to them if Gaza is destroyed. They don’t care about their own citizens. But if we take their land, that will hurt them.
This is the way. Don’t negotiate with them—make the threat real. I am convinced this is the only way to win, to destroy Hamas so that those Nazis never cross into our territory again, to prevent another October 7 in a few years, and to bring all our hostages home.”
Sovereignty Over Judea and Samaria
Another key theme of the conference was Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce his administration’s stance within two weeks, but leaders at the right-leaning event are confident annexation is coming.
Smotrich: "First of all, I want to say to you and your viewers: We have been implementing sovereignty for the past two years—even under the Biden administration, which seriously threatened us. We are making a revolution on the roads, establishing communities, and building tens of thousands of new housing units. But we need to enact full sovereignty—we need to apply it across Judea and Samaria.
After October 7, everyone understands that a Palestinian state will not happen. It would mean taking Gaza, multiplying it by 20, and placing it on land that overlooks all of Israel. This would be a suicidal step, and we are not going to take it.
President Trump understands this well. His administration and advisors understand it well. Israel will not commit suicide. They know that the Palestinians are still hostile, that they continue to support Hamas, and that their leadership remains committed to our destruction.
We will enact sovereignty across Judea and Samaria, develop the settlements, and put an end to the concept of a Palestinian state. I am convinced that we can see eye to eye with the president and his team. Not only will this not harm the Abraham Accords—it will actually push them forward.
Peace only comes from strength. We are in a region where people turn away from the weak and align with the strong.
There will be a State of Israel—Jewish, democratic, strong, independent—an anchor of freedom, human rights, and values in the Middle East. With a state like this in the region, all the Arab countries will want to make peace with us, and I hope, God willing, that this will happen.”
Israel’s Economic Resilience Amid War
As finance minister, Israel’s economy remains a top priority for Smotrich. Before wrapping up his ILTV interview, he addressed the economic impact of Israel’s longest and costliest war.
“The economy of Israel over the past 16 months is quite simply a miracle," Smotrich said.
He noted that the shekel is stronger than before the war, the stock market remains strong, and Israel continues to be a top investment hub despite the conflict. Between October 2023 and October 2024, Israel raised $10.5 billion in investments—ranking third globally, behind only Silicon Valley and New York.
Smotrich: “This is, first and foremost, a result of the strength and diversity of the Israeli economy. We entered the war in a strong position, with fiscal responsibility and a budget that supports growth and infrastructure.
But above all, it is due to the resilience of the people of Israel. Israel is healthy, strong, trustworthy, innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial. The free market we uphold in this country, along with responsible economic management, ensures confidence in the Israeli economy.”