From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Ben Gvir praises resumption of fighting against Hamas, doesn’t say if he’ll rejoin government
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Otzma Yehudit party chairman Itamar Ben Gvir welcomes the resumption of military operations in the Gaza Strip overnight, following an extensive wave of airstrikes across the coastal territory that targeted mid-level Hamas commanders, members of the terror group’s politburo, and its infrastructure.
“We welcome the return of the State of Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to intense fighting,” Ben Gvir says in a statement.
“As we said in recent months, when we withdrew [from the government], Israel must return to fighting in Gaza. This is the right, moral, ethical and most justified step, in order to destroy the Hamas terrorist organization and bring back our hostages. We must not accept the existence of the Hamas organization and it must be destroyed.”
Otzma Yehudit quit Netanyahu’s coalition in January, following through on the far-right party’s threat to exit if the government agreed to a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
Ben Gvir does not say if the return to fighting will lead to his party rejoining the government. He previously said he would if the war resumes.
The Times of Israel Community.