Israeli hardline far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said he has lost confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war position on besieged Gaza.
The far-right minister was referring on Saturday to his objection to the "gradual plan" to fully occupy the enclave, as he favours an immediate and sweeping carnage coupled with illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza.
The notorious minister, who advocates for the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza alongside its settlement, said in a video on X: "In the last cabinet meeting (early Friday), I lost faith that the Prime Minister can and wants to lead the Israeli army to decisive victory."
The war Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "gradual plan" to fully occupy Gaza and displace Palestinians from the north to the south, a move that has faced opposition from Israeli opposition due to the danger it poses to the lives of captives.
Downplaying the plan, Smotrich added: "Netanyahu and the cabinet decided to carry out a military operation whose goal is not victory, but to pressure Hamas for a partial prisoner deal."
The far-right minister urged Netanyahu to "convene the cabinet again and announce unequivocally that there will be no stopping halfway, no partial deal — this time we go for a decisive, clear step toward victory."
Smotrich has consistently opposed calls to limit Israel's carnage in Gaza, insisting on continuing the genocide until Palestinians are displaced for the purpose of illegal settlements.
Israel's genocide in Gaza
Israel has killed over 61,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, so far in the blockaded enclave since 2023.
Some 11,000 Palestinians are feared buried under rubble of annihilated homes, according to Palestine's official WAFA news agency.
Experts, however, contend that the actual death toll significantly exceeds what the Gaza authorities have reported, estimating it could be around 200,000.
Over the course of the genocide, Israel has reduced most of the blockaded enclave to ruins, and practically displaced all of its population.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
