Smotrich reportedly clashes with Zamir over aid distribution in Gaza: ‘You have failed enormously’

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich clashed with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, accusing the military of failing to manage the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza during last night’s security cabinet meeting, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

It is unclear if Smotrich’s comments refer to ongoing looting of aid by Hamas or chaos at aid sites run by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

“The army is not ready to manage humanitarian aid. You have failed enormously on this matter,” Smotrich is quoted by Kan as telling Zamir.

“You have criticism for everything… You weaken the reservists. You weaken the morale of the soldiers. You are against the IDF. You are against everything and say we aren’t doing this and aren’t doing that,” Zamir is quoted as hitting back.

“Your problem is that you don’t know how to take criticism. I congratulate the successes, but on the humanitarian matter, you failed greatly,” Smotrich reportedly responded.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is quoted as rapping both sides for speaking in an “unreasonable” way and asking them to calm down.

Smotrich then is quoted as claiming Zamir will brief the press against him, to which the IDF chief responds: “I don’t brief anything.”

“Let’s do a polygraph,” Smotrich reportedly responds.

At a cabinet meeting last week, an argument was also reported between Zamir, Smotrich, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

According to a Channel 13 report, the far-right ministers charged that Zamir had given up on the idea of “complete victory” over Hamas due to his prioritization of the release of hostages, and voiced opposition to a two-month ceasefire in which half of the living hostages would be released.

“No problem, then remove ‘the return of the hostages’ as a goal of the war,” Zamir responded, according to Channel 13.