Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed on Tuesday to completely destroy the Gaza Strip within a few months, as part of an ongoing plan to expand the genocide, claiming that Palestinians would then flee to other countries.

"I think it will be possible to declare our victory within a few months," Smotrich was quoted as saying by Israel's Channel 12 at a conference on settlements in the West Bank settlement of Ofra.

He added, "Gaza will be completely destroyed, and its population will be concentrated in the Morag axis area, from where they will leave in large numbers to third countries."

The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth quoted him in response to a question about the situation in the Gaza Strip after six months, saying: "Hamas is absent there as an active entity, neither militarily, civilly, nor governmentally. There is no entity that knows how to pay salaries, nor does it manage anything," he said.

He claimed that "the entire population is concentrated from the Morag axis (which separates Rafah from Khan Yunis) southward in an area completely free of Hamas."

Earlier today, the Israeli military indicated its intention to expand its genocide against Palestinians in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip.

The army said in a statement: "After completing the encirclement of Rafah several weeks ago, army forces are continuing their operations in the area, and it is expected that the operation will expand to include several additional locations and neighborhoods."

On Monday, Smotrich said that Tel Aviv will not withdraw from Gaza after completing its occupation, even if it is in exchange for the release of prisoners held by Palestinian factions. He added, "We will finally occupy the Gaza Strip. We will stop fearing the word 'occupation.'"

Regarding settlement expansion, the Israeli Finance Minister indicated on Tuesday that the government is likely to announce the annexation of the West Bank during its term, which ends at the end of next year.

On January 21, 2025, the Israeli army launched a military aggression in the northern West Bank, starting with the city of Jenin, its camp, and surrounding towns. It then expanded its aggression to the city of Tulkarm on the 27th of the same month.

In parallel with the genocide in Gaza, the Israeli military and settlers escalated their attacks in the West Bank, resulting in the deaths of more than 960 Palestinians, the injury of nearly 7,000 others, and the arrest of 16,400 people, according to Palestinian data.