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Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has stated that Israel’s military is preparing to occupy the Gaza Strip under the leadership of incoming Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, with political backing from the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Speaking at a parliamentary bloc meeting of the Religious Zionist Party, Smotrich said that Israel was set to resume its offensive against Hamas with “strength, speed, and lethal capacity” once the time was deemed right. He warned that Hamas fighters “know very well that their time on the ground is limited,” vowing a “painful revenge” that would leave “no remnants or refugees.”
Smotrich also claimed that Hezbollah in Lebanon was at its weakest point in decades, asserting that Israel’s military had effectively cut it off from its supply routes in Syria and had eliminated key leadership figures. His remarks followed reports that Israeli forces had withdrawn from most occupied areas in southern Lebanon, except for five key positions along the border.
Regarding the West Bank, Smotrich suggested that Israeli military operations there would intensify, drawing comparisons to the destruction seen in Jabalia, northern Gaza. He boasted about the forced displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinian residents from refugee camps, enabling the army to target those he referred to as “terrorists.”
Israeli media reported on Sunday that the military had deployed tanks to Jenin in the West Bank for the first time in over two decades. The move comes over broader military preparations to expand operations in the region.
A ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal took effect last month, temporarily halting Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. However, Israeli actions have already resulted in nearly 48,350 Palestinian deaths, mostly civilian women and children, according to health officials, and have devastated the enclave.
Israel is facing international legal scrutiny over its actions in Gaza. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes, while the country also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
