From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 12, 2025
Ben Gvir says Israel must ‘stop procrastinating’ and ‘open gates of hell’ on Gaza
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"
The “ultimate goal” of Israel’s war in Gaza is the defeat of Hamas, and “the only way to safely return all our hostages” is a complete military victory, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir declares ahead of the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander.
“We have received American backing to open the gates of hell on Gaza — we must stop procrastinating, and go on the offensive to defeat it,” Ben Gvir tells reporters ahead of his far-right Otzma Yehudit party’s weekly faction meeting.
Calling on Israel to encourage Palestinian emigration, shut off humanitarian aid — which has not entered the Strip for more than two months — and “rescue our hostages by force,” Ben Gvir urges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “go to the end, carry out our duty, and destroy Hamas.”
“Mr. Prime Minister, we must not stop. President Trump gave us backing several months ago to open the gates of hell on Hamas, and we are delaying. We must stop delaying and launch the decisive attack. To occupy the entire territory of the Gaza Strip, and to encourage the migration of Gazans to countries around the world,” he says.
Asked about Trump’s call to end the war, Ben Gvir responds that the US president has not retracted his statement that “all hell will break out” if the hostages aren’t released.
“Sorry, but the Israeli government needs to be more determined to open the gates of hell. I don’t blame Trump, I blame some of our people who are a little hesitant. We shouldn’t hesitate,” he says.
In an overnight announcement, US President Donald Trump stated that the pending release of Alexander, a dual American-Israeli citizen, “was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”
Asked about the Haredi enlistment legislation currently being debated in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Ben Gvir declines to explicitly state a position, instead boasting that under his authority, the Border Police have been making a push to recruit members of the ultra-Orthodox community.
The Times of Israel Community.