Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has warned that Gaza will be completely destroyed before its residents are forced to flee to other countries. According to a report by French news agency AFP, he made this statement on Tuesday.
He said, “Gaza will be entirely destroyed, and civilians will be sent to a humanitarian zone in the south of Gaza, free of Hamas or terrorism. From there, they will begin to leave in large numbers for third countries.”
Speaking at a press conference in a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, Smotrich also expressed hope that during the current Israeli government’s term, Gaza would be officially annexed into Israeli territory.
He mentioned that the process of annexing Gaza to Israel could be completed by the end of next year. Referring to the annexation of the West Bank—occupied by Israel since 1967—as one of the most significant challenges for Israeli leaders, he reiterated the government’s commitment to this cause.
Despite global concerns over the future of Palestinian territories, prominent Israeli officials have recently intensified calls to annex the West Bank to Israel.
Currently, around 3 million Palestinians live in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in addition to about 490,000 Israelis living in settlements considered illegal under international law.
