Smotrich Faces Backlash Over Calling To Prioritize Destroying Hamas Over Hostages

Relatives of the hostages erupted in fury after Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich stated in an Army Radio interview on Monday that the top priority in the war was eliminating Hamas—not securing the captives’ release.

“The only truth is that for your messianic and psychopathic delusions, you are willing to sacrifice my Matan and an entire country,” wrote Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, on X.

“This morning, the families have only one word: shame,” read a statement issued by the Hostage Families Forum.

“Minister Smotrich—history will remember how you hardened your heart to your brothers and sisters in captivity and chose not to save them—some from death, others from disappearance.”

MK Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism condemned the remarks, invoking a dark historical comparison. “The return of the hostages is the most important issue. These kinds of statements are reminiscent of the Sicarii in the time of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, who believed that national interests were more important than human lives,” he said.

“The United Torah Judaism faction will convene this week to present the matter before the Torah sages and formulate its position on this issue as well.”

In response, Smotrich accused Gafni of drawing dangerous parallels. “Anyone who still lives with an exile mentality and feels that the State of Israel is not the realization of the ingathering of exiles and the return to Zion is capable of imagining a comparison between the current reality and the period of the destruction of the Second Temple,” he said, arguing that Gafni represents a “shrinking minority within the Haredi community.”

Smotrich went on to defend his position. “As for the substance of the matter, the victory over Hamas is meant to save human lives, and nothing endangers lives more—or encourages further kidnappings, terrorism, and bloodshed—than surrendering to a murderous terrorist organization and allowing it to remain a governing power holding weapons in Gaza, tormenting the lives of southern residents, and preparing for the next October 7 massacre.

And regarding the Torah sages—it is time for Gafni to begin respecting the Torah leaders of the religious Zionist community, who are in no way inferior to the great rabbis of the Haredi world and who also fulfill additional commandments, such as high-quality military service to help Israel in times of need and to save lives through action,” Smotrich concluded.

Yair Golan, head of the Democrats party, joined the criticism, accusing the minister of moral abandonment. “Smotrich presents the kidnapped as human sacrifices on the altar of messianic delusions,” he wrote, claiming Smotrich would be willing to let the remaining 59 hostages perish for his “annexation delusions.”

“This is not Zionism. This is neglect. Smotrich is the true face of the Netanyahu government – a government in which neglect and the sacrifice of lives is not a failure, but a policy.”

Avigdor Liberman, who leads the Yisrael Beytenu party, also slammed Smotrich, pointing to past misjudgments. “Before October 7, Smotrich didn’t know what the Nukhba forces were and claimed that Hamas was an asset,” Liberman recalled.

“Whoever was wrong then, it’s better to keep quiet now.”

In his original remarks, Smotrich emphasized that while retrieving the hostages is deeply important, the larger objective must remain the eradication of Hamas. “It is, of course, a very, very, very important goal, whoever wants to destroy Hamas and prevent the possibility of another October 7 needs to understand that there can be no situation where Hamas remains present and intact in Gaza.”

“Let’s make a decision to end Gaza once and for all, let’s build trust with the people, and prove that we are achieving the goal and destroying Hamas,” he urged.

“The excuses are over. There is no Biden, no Blinken, no Gallant, no chief of staff standing in the way of halting humanitarian aid – there are no excuses, and I say to the prime minister, there is no time for this talk. The alternative to surrendering is to take territory in the strip and destroy Hamas,” Smotrich concluded.

{Matzav.com Israel}