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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Smotrich: Sinwar can smell weakness, we keep retreating from our red lines
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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks at the Maariv economic conference in Tel Aviv, March 26, 2024. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich appears to slam the government’s approach to negotiations for hostages, saying that Israel has repeatedly folded on its red lines during talks.
“Hamas said no,” the far-right minister says at a conference of municipal leaders. “We keep retreating from our red lines again and again, sending improved offers,” he says.
Smotrich says Israel keeps hoping Hamas will appreciate its flexibility, “but [Hamas Gaza leader Yahya] Sinwar identifies weakness.”
Smotrich says “the only way to return the hostages is to return the military pressure on Hamas with full force. To go into Rafah and to end the humanitarian aid through Hamas and provide it ourselves. That’s the only way to win.”
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