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The security cabinet convened on Tuesday morning in Jerusalem to discuss Israel's position ahead of negotiations for the second phase of the cease-fire and hostage release deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to present his conditions for the deal to continue.
Earlier on Tuesday, the IDF announced that Shlomo Mansour who was 85-years old, the oldest among those abducted during the Hamas massacre was murdered on Oct. 7 and his body was being held in Gaza.
The meeting came afte Hamas said in a statement that it would halt the release of hostages due to alleged Israeli violations. After U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel should resume its war in Gaza if all the hostages were not freed by mid-day Saturday, a Hamas official told Reuters that all parties to the cease-fire deal must respect their commitments. "That is the only way to return the ‘prisoners’ (hostages).” He daid adding that threats would not help and would only “complicate matters.”
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Hostage families block major route to Jerusalem
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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said ahead of the meeting that he intends to call on the cabinet to issue an ultimatum to Hamas in response to Trump’s remarks. He suggested measures such as cutting off the supply of water and electricity while “opening the gates of hell” on the organization.
“We need to re-arrest released terrorists and announce that if anything happens to our hostages, we will impose sovereignty on an additional 5% of Gaza. We have international backing for this,” Smotrich said Speaking at a conference on integrating ultra-Othodox men into the military, Smotrich said.
“They care only about land. We must issue an ultimatum, gather Gaza’s residents in one place, maintain minimal control, and relocate them elsewhere. Trump’s plan is not just a slogan—that’s what I’ll tell the cabinet. No Hamas in Gaza means no enemies, no threats to Israel. The territory will once again become part of Israel, because it is ours and because it ensures the nation’s security.”
Protests and families’ demands
Ahead of the cabinet meeting, families of hostages and activists advocating for the full implementation of the agreement blocked Route 1 Israel's main highway from the coast to Jerusalem and later continued to demonstrate inside the capital.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was held captive in Gaza called on the prime minister to “stop sabotaging the agreement and send a delegation to Doha with a full mandate to negotiate the next phase, which must lead to the simultaneous release of all remaining hostages.”
“Netanyahu dragged this agreement out for months. It’s now clear he is acting out of political considerations, dragging his feet, refusing to send a delegation to the negotiations, boasting, and doing everything to sabotage the agreement," the protesters said. "We’ve heard the latest testimonies—our loved ones are enduring hell in captivity and won’t survive there much longer. We demand that Netanyahu grant full authority to the negotiation team, commit to fully implementing the agreement, shorten the timeline, and bring everyone back at once. Get them out of hell.”
Hostage families’ frustration
Danny Algert, brother of hostage Itzik Algert, who was released in the first phase of the deal, addressed Trump’s ultimatum in an interview with Ynet. “Terror organizations are the ones issuing ultimatums. Hamas has a strategic weapon—it’s called hostages—and they will exploit this card to the very end.”
He said he knew that Netanyahu would not fully committ to the deal and would sabotage it. "The announcement came from Hamas, but it was Netanyahu who dismantled the negotiation team, letting politicians interfere. He doesn’t want to proceed to the second phase.”
Algert further criticized Netanyahu: “He returned from the U.S. arrogant and out of touch, after enjoying luxury hotels with Elon Musk. He doesn’t understand the atmosphere here in the country. In the Knesset, he cynically announced that he wouldn’t continue the deal. This culture of power, money, and honor—now amplified with Trump—will ultimately lead to the death of these hostages.”
A father’s perspective
Rubi Chen, father of Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, who was killed in combat on October 7 and whose body is held in Gaza, also commented on Trump’s remarks. In an interview with Ynet, he said: “Trump has been using phrases like ‘hell will break loose’ for a while. Last week, during my visit to the U.S., his team tried to clarify this, but it remains vague. I think part of what Trump is saying reflects an understanding that negotiations for the release of the last hostage must be accelerated.”
Chen believes that Hamas will not release all the hostages without an end to the war. “There’s only one alternative—a deal. The Israeli government had 16 months to reach a better agreement, but this is what we have. We’ve seen the condition of the released hostages, and as for the fallen, we may not even find them anymore.”
He added: “The main leverage we have right now is ending the war. Families of the fallen are also under immense pressure. The leverage being explained to us by the negotiation team is essentially Gaza’s reconstruction, and that’s already happening. It reminds me of what was said to the Goldin and Shaul families a decade ago—and we saw how that turned out.”
The humanitarian toll
Carmit Yitzhaki, aunt of Eden Yerushalmi, who was killed in captivity, responded to comments made during a Knesset debate between Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid regarding Eden’s physical condition at the time of her death. In an interview with Ynet, she said: “Hearing about Eden’s weight again—when she was 5'5" and weighed only 80 lbs.—it’s horrifying. Every time, it shocks me anew.”
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“I can’t believe no one knew about the inhumane conditions they endured. It’s hard to believe no one knew they were being starved. Everyone knows they aren’t in hotels—they’re in the hands of the cruelest enemy. I saw the last release and was appalled, but not surprised—skin and bones.”
She continued: “I believe the prime minister was shocked. No human being wouldn’t be. They looked terrible. If we had missed them by just a few days or weeks, they wouldn’t still be with us. We need to act quickly. We’re dealing with a cruel enemy, and I hope those responsible find a solution. It’s time to move to the second phase and bring everyone home. I hope Eden and the five hostages who were with her are the last to be murdered by Hamas.”
Gaza: The Singapore\Haiti fulcrum
Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador-designate to Israel, said in an interview with Fox News: “Gaza could have been Singapore, but Hamas turned it into Haiti. Hamas will not be able to continue existing in Gaza in the future. It’s a done deal.”
He reminded viewers that “Gaza was once a place where both Jews and Palestinians lived until 2005, when Ariel Sharon decided to give everything to the Palestinians. Israel evacuated 10,000 Jews from Gaza, turning it into a fully Palestinian state. The result was what we saw on October 7.”
Huckabee concluded: “We don’t know exactly what will happen in Gaza, but we know what could have happened: Gaza could have been Singapore. Instead, Hamas turned it into Haiti—or worse. The only time we had real peace in this region was during the four years Donald Trump was president. With his bold and innovative leadership, I’m optimistic we’ll see something transformative—perhaps of biblical proportions—in the Middle East.”
First published: 13:02, 02.11.25