Smotrich, who once called starvation 'moral,' backs funding Gaza aid
Speaking to the Israeli Kan public broadcaster, Smotrich claimed such funding is 'not money for humanitarian aid, it's money to win the war. Had we controlled the humanitarian aid to Gaza we would have won the war a while ago.'
The finance minister said he believed it would be preferable to pull the troops from an Israeli army division from fighting 'and put that money toward supporting the American companies who are managing the humanitarian aid," referring to the highly criticized Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed U.S.-run company that has been distributing aid in Gaza since May, and whose centers have been the site of hundreds of Palestinian aid seeker's deaths by live fire.
On Monday, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump discussed plans for Washington to significantly increase its role Gaza aid distribution, Axios reported, citing Israeli and U.S. officials, one of whom said the Trump administration will "take over" aid management, due to Israel's inadequacy.
Smotrich, who has previously threatened to quit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition over an Israeli decision to lift a famine-inducing blockade on aid entering the Strip, said the money spent on the American aid effort would be "inseparable from the war effect,' according to the comments cited by Times of Israel.
In a video posted Wednesday evening on his X account, Smotrich addressed the topic again, saying, "Hamas can't be defeated with tanks alone."
Smotrich argued that Hamas must be strangled economically, and that he wants to include a dedicated budget in case Israel needs to "fund aid for the population instead of continuing to send trucks to Hamas."
"A clear decision will be made to conquer all of Gaza," he said, but noted that the war has already cost 300 billion shekels, the equivalent of $87.5 billion, and that "without civil and economic strangulation, there is no chance in the world of winning."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nahar Net
an hour ago
- Nahar Net
6 killed, 10 hurt in Israeli drone strike on car on al-Masnaa road
Lebanon said an Israeli strike on the country's east on Thursday killed at least six people, in the latest attack despite a November ceasefire in a war with militant group Hezbollah. "The Israeli strike on Masnaa Road resulted in a preliminary toll of six deaths and ten injuries," the Lebanese health ministry said in a statement. The state-run National News Agency reported that the strike hit a vehicle in the area, near a border crossing with Syria. The reported strike came as Lebanon's government was discussing Hezbollah's disarmament.
Nahar Net
an hour ago
- Nahar Net
Barrack hails 'historic' Lebanon decision on Hezbollah disarmament
by Naharnet Newsdesk 07 August 2025, 21:59 US envoy Tom Barrack said on Thursday Lebanon's government had taken a "historic" decision this week by moving to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah, which Washington has pushed for. In a post on X, Barrack congratulated Lebanese leaders "for making the historic, bold, and correct decision this week to begin fully implementing" a November ceasefire which ended more than a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, and stipulated that weapons in Lebanon be restricted to government agencies only. "This week's Cabinet resolutions finally put into motion the 'One Nation, One Army' solution for Lebanon. We stand behind the Lebanese people," Barrack said. Barrack also reminded of recent statements about Lebanon and Hezbollah by U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "Promises made promises kept. As @POTUS (Trump) has stated, 'My administration stands ready to help Lebanon create a future of economic development and peace with its neighbors… In Lebanon, there's a new chance for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah terrorists… A new president and prime minister brought the first real chance in decades for a more productive partnership with the United States,'" Barrack posted. "And as @SecRubio has rightly emphasized, 'Our goal in Lebanon is a strong Lebanese state that can take on and disarm Hezbollah,'" he added. Barrack also posted remarks by U.S. congressman Darrell Issa, who visited Lebanon on Thursday. "We will push hard to make sure that there is — and this is something that I will work with the Israelis on — a complete withdrawal in return for the Lebanese Armed Forces showing its ability to secure all Lebanon," Issa said. The Lebanese government asked the national army on Tuesday to prepare a plan in which only state institutions in the small nation will have weapons by the end of the year, a move that aims to disarm Hezbollah. After Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Hezbollah accused the government of caving to U.S. and Israeli pressure and said it would "treat this decision as if it does not exist." And on Thursday the government approved the objectives of a U.S. paper of demands carried by Barrack to Lebanon. The ministers of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement walked out of both sessions in protest.
L'Orient-Le Jour
5 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
US lawmaker Darrell Issa in Beirut, promises 'solution regarding Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon'
BEIRUT — During a visit to Beirut and a meeting with President Joseph Aoun, U.S. Congressman Darrell Issa promised that the United States would find a "solution" to the ongoing Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory in southern Lebanon. "The Lebanese government wants to strengthen stability and we support its efforts in this direction," Issa is cited as saying, according to a statement released by the Lebanese presidency. "Israel must understand that Lebanon is experiencing a new beginning and we will make sure to find a solution regarding the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon." Cabinet met on Tuesday afternoon to continue discussions on Hezbollah's disarmament and specifically the U.S. proposal for how to do so. As the ministers' meeting was adjourned, it was announced that they had approved "the objectives set out" by the American plan. Despite a cease-fire concluded on Nov. 27, 2024 between Israel and Hezbollah after more than a year of conflict, the Israeli army continues to occupy positions in Labbouneh/Alma al-Shaab, near the coastline (Sour district); Jabal Blat, near Ramieh (Bint Jbeil district); Jal al-Deir, south of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil district); the Markaba-Houla road (Marjayoun district); Hamames Hill, near Khiam (Marjayoun district). Issa, a Republican member of Congress of Lebanese origin, said that the "Lebanese decision must be in the hands of the people," stressing the need "for legitimate institutions to lead Lebanon." "We support them, just as we reaffirm our support for the Lebanese Army," he said. Issa's Lebanese visit comes two weeks after that of U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, during which he admitted that no one could force Israel to do anything, that there were no guarantees, and that the Lebanese state had to take on the issue of Hezbollah's arms to ensure its monopoly.
