Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reiterated his opposition to postponing an Israeli invasion of the city of Rafah, and said that "there is no partial action. Rafah, Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat - absolute annihilation. 'May the memory of Amalek die under heaven - there is no place under heaven.'" The Amalekites are the enemies of the Jews according to the myths of the Torah.

Smotrich's statements came during the "Maimouna" celebration, which Moroccan Jews celebrate on the day after the Jewish Passover. The celebration was held at the home of the rabbi of a Torah school in the town of Ofakim in southern Israel.

Regarding the indirect negotiations with Hamas regarding a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire, Smotrich added, “Israel is conducting negotiations with someone who should not have been there for a long time in the first place.”

He continued, "Directly after eliminating Hamas, we must devote ourselves, God willing, to inflicting a greater blow on the evil people of Hezbollah in the north, and conveying a message to those who plan to do to the Jewish people what these evil people did to us - annihilate them, annihilate them, annihilate them. This will reverberate for decades ahead." 

Smotrich's statements come as a continuation of what was described as a threat to topple Netanyahu's government if he decided to cancel the Rafah invasion, as his government would have no right to exist, and Netanyahu was accused of allowing Hamas to increase its strength during the last two decades. He added that if Netanyahu agreed to a prisoner exchange deal, this would be a "humiliating surrender, a death sentence for the kidnapped persons who are not included in the deal, and a danger to the State of Israel."

Today, Netanyahu held a meeting with the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, against the backdrop of far-right threats to topple the government if Netanyahu agreed to the deal proposal and canceled the Rafah invasion. The meeting lasted for no more than 20 minutes.

A statement issued by Ben Gvir at the conclusion of his meeting with Netanyahu said, “I warned the prime minister that, God forbid, Israel would not enter Rafah and we would end the war and that there would be a defeatist deal.”

He added, "The Prime Minister listened to my words and pledged not to end the war and not to agree to a defeatist deal. I believe that the Prime Minister is well aware of the implications of not implementing these matters."