Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Wednesday for military rule to be imposed on the Gaza Strip, again threatening to topple the government if this is not done.

Although the Israeli political-security cabinet made no decision during its meeting yesterday regarding the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, which has been halted for more than a month, Smotrich stated that "the continued lack of military progress and the entry of humanitarian aid to Hamas while our kidnapped soldiers are there is not an option."

He added, "The prime minister is the highest authority. A war must be waged to defeat Hamas, occupy Gaza, impose a temporary military rule until another solution is found, return the kidnapped soldiers, and implement the Trump plan (to displace Gazans), or this government has no right to exist."

During the cabinet meeting, Smotrich attacked IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir for refusing to allow the army to distribute humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip. Smotrich said today, "I have no complaints against the IDF Chief of Staff."

My criticism is directed at the prime minister, who is not enforcing the political echelon's policy on the Israeli military. The delivery of logistical aid to Hamas is a step I will not be complicit in.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz told the cabinet that within 10 to 15 days, Israel would be forced to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, while Zamir stressed that "the Israeli army will not be the entity distributing it," according to the Ynet website.

Smotrich responded to Zamir, saying, "The army does not choose its missions. We decided and said that you must prepare for this matter. We decide what you do and you decide how you will carry it out. If you are unable to carry it out, we will bring someone else who is. If you do not know, we will find someone else who knows how to carry it out. We decide that aid that reaches Hamas will not enter, and I do not care how you do it. If you do not know how to carry it out, tell the political echelon 'I do not know.' The army does not choose its missions in a democratic system."

Ynet quoted cabinet ministers as saying that Smotrich's tone toward Zamir was "very firm." One minister said that Smotrich "actually exploded at Zamir," telling him, "You're not going to stand here and tell us you won't carry out the mission. That won't happen. Only the political echelon decides what the missions are."

Israel's public broadcaster, Kan 11, revealed today that last May, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi not to impose Israeli military rule in the Gaza Strip, and that Netanyahu did not inform his far-right ministers of this.

Channel 12 reported today that establishing military rule would entail "enormous costs," including employing thousands of soldiers in military-related duties for at least a year. "No army chief of staff, including Zamir, has approved this," it added.

The channel added that "Smotrich does not understand the depth of the problem he is in," and that by attacking Zamir, he was "looking for a figure to climb on in order to attract voters to his side, especially since Smotrich himself approved Zamir's appointment to his position."