‘Our brothers’ blood cries out’: Smotrich opposes hostage deal, could break up Israeli gov’t

The long sought after ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas has been reached and is set to begin next Sunday.

However, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has the votes to approve the deal, he might lose his government over it, as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has signaled his strong opposition.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has already asserted that he won’t support the deal, but with his six seats, doesn’t have the power to break up the government on his own.

However, Smotrich has seven additional seats, and together, they could bring down the right-wing government, which currently has 68 out of the 120 Knesset seats.

On Wednesday evening, Smotrich said he and the prime minister had held “heated talks on the matter,” adding that Netanyahu “knows what the detailed demands of Religious Zionism are and the ball is in his hands.”

“The deal that will be brought before the government is a bad and dangerous deal for the national security of the State of Israel,” Smotrich wrote on 𝕏.

“Along with the great joy and excitement at the return of each and every hostage, the deal takes back many achievements of the war in which the heroes of this nation sacrificed their lives, and will cost us a lot of blood.”

“We strongly oppose it. We will not be silent. The voice of our brothers' blood cries out to us,” he continued.

Smotrich reiterated, “A clear condition for our remaining in the government is the absolute certainty of a return to war with great force, in full scope and in a new configuration until the complete victory including all components, first of all the destruction of the terrorist organization Hamas and the return of all the hostages to their homes.”

Thursday morning, Smotrich said, “we are at a fateful and decisive moment,” but said he had still not decided how to proceed.

His Religious Zionism Knesset faction was set to meet later that day to determine its stance on the deal and whether it would leave the government.

“What is on my mind is only one thing, and I deal with it with all my heart and compassion, and that is how we achieve the full goals of the war – complete victory, the complete destruction of Hamas military and civilian [power] and the return home of all our hostages,” Smotrich said.

According to Radio Kol Hai, Netanyahu is still holding meetings with other unconvinced ministers, some of which are also being attended by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who recently returned from the U.S.

He was said to convey a message that approving the deal would cause Trump to return concessions such as a significant advancement of normalization with Saudi Arabia.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who cut short his visit to Europe to return for the hostage deal, gave expression to the doubts of many members of the right-wing government: “I will speak honestly – it is a difficult decision when deciding on the release of so many terrorists, including those who murdered Jews.”

“And there are also other difficult elements in the deal. You have to choose between bad and very bad. This is leadership. The government will have to make a very difficult decision. But we have an obligation to our brothers and sisters,” Sa’ar said.

“We did our best and returned most of the hostages. But there are 98 more in captivity. If we postpone the decision – who knows how many will remain alive? It hurts – for the victims of terrorism and for all the citizens of Israel.”

He concluded, “We have a responsibility towards the citizens who were kidnapped from their beds. The Israeli government's commitment to bring them home – that is what will guide us in these difficult circumstances.”