From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Smotrich: Attempted Hamas raid shows danger of ‘deals that surrender to terror’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says that Israel should reject ceasefire deals with Hamas following an attempted raid by the terror group on an IDF encampment in the southern Gaza Strip earlier today.
“Deals that surrender to kidnapping terror invite the next hostage-takings and endanger us all,” the far-right minister says in a post on X.
He adds that the attack in Khan Younis was “the result of our conduct that incentivizes Hamas to kidnap soldiers and civilians and highlights the great dangers of continuing to give in to Hamas’s extortion, and the critical importance of destroying it completely.”
Earlier in the day, the IDF said a cell of at least 18 Hamas operatives attempted to raid an outpost in Khan Younis, wounding three soldiers, one seriously. Military officials assessed that the gunmen sought to kidnap troops.
The finance minister’s remarks come as Israel is reportedly reviewing Hamas’s response to a phased ceasefire-hostage deal, which the terror group said earlier this week it agreed to. Smotrich has expressed fierce opposition to a ceasefire-hostage deal, arguing that Hamas has only eased its demands because it fears the planned Israeli conquest of Gaza City would destroy the group.
He supports annexing the Gaza Strip and establishing Israeli settlements there.
The Times of Israel Community.