RAMALLAH, August 11, 2025 (WAFA) – The extremist Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, called for the occupation of large parts of the Gaza Strip.

Smotrich told Kan, the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, "My plan is for large parts of Gaza to be under our control and sovereignty, and we can also settle there." He added, "This is the only way to maintain security. This is not the prime minister's plan. I know that."

During the recent security cabinet session, Smotrich expressed doubts regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ability to achieve victory in the Gaza Strip.

The extremist minister opposed the gradual plan to occupy all of Gaza, as he wants a rapid and immediate occupation through a large-scale military operation, while reviving colony activities in the Gaza Strip.

Following Smotrich's statement, Knesset member Zvi Sukkot from his party threatened Netanyahu with calling early elections unless he adopted a "more aggressive war plan" for Gaza.

The Israeli security cabinet, known as the Cabinet, approved the occupation of Gaza City and the expansion of the aggression in the Strip at dawn on Friday.

According to Israeli media, the Cabinet unanimously approved a "military plan authorizing Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Yisrael Katz, to approve military plans."

The media added that the occupation's military plan will begin with the displacement of Gaza City's citizens southward, followed by the encirclement of the city, and then the implementation of additional incursions into population centers.

The military plan aligns with the demands of the extremist Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, to occupy the Gaza Strip and build settlements there.

Since October 7, 2023, the occupation forces occupied all of Gaza City, except small areas and stayed there for several months before withdrawing from most areas in April 2024.

Smotrich also issued instructions late last year to work on imposing sovereignty over the West Bank.

Y.S