By SCM International Desk I Monday, Oct. 12, 2026
JERUSALEM — Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has issued a series of provocative statements regarding the future of the Gaza Strip, rejecting past settlement paradigms and calling for full Israeli territorial control.
Speaking to supporters and media outlets, the far-right coalition partner insisted that Israel must assert complete sovereignty over the coastal enclave, explicitly declaring that Gaza “should not exist” in its current form.
”We need to wipe out Gaza,” Smotrich remarked, adding a caveat to preempt international condemnation: “Not commit genocide, God forbid.”
Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionism party and holds oversight over civil administration in the occupied West Bank alongside his cabinet portfolio, went further by characterizing the civilian population of the strip in broad terms. “Gaza, with 1.8 million Nazis, should not exist,” he declared, using language that drew immediate condemnation from human rights advocates and international diplomats.
Addressing the strategic vision for the region, Smotrich dismissed suggestions that Israel should simply re-establish the bloc of settlements known as Gush Katif—the cluster of 21 Israeli communities in southern Gaza that were evacuated during Israel’s 2005 unilateral disengagement.
”I don’t want Gush Katif. I want all of Gaza,” Smotrich said. “I want Gaza to be ours. I want it for Zionist reasons. I want it for security reasons.”
Smotrich’s comments come amid an ongoing struggle within Israel’s governing coalition regarding post-war strategy and governance in Gaza. Since the outbreak of the war following the October 7 attack by Hamas, far-right elements within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have aggressively advocated for the re-establishment of Jewish settlements and the long-term military occupation of the territory.
The reference to Gush Katif touches a deeply sensitive chord in Israeli politics. The 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, executed under former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, remains a polarizing milestone for Israel’s political right, who argue that the military pullout and removal of nearly 9,000 Israeli settlers created a security vacuum that allowed Hamas to seize power in 2007.
While Prime Minister Netanyahu has officially stated that Israel does not intend to permanently reoccupy Gaza or establish civilian settlements there, he faces constant political pressure from ministers like Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Both ministers hold key leverage over the governing coalition, frequently threatening to collapse the government if their ideological demands are not met.
The minister’s rhetoric has intensified international criticism of Israel’s military campaign and post-war planning. Allies, including the United States and European nations, have repeatedly rejected proposals for the forced displacement of Palestinians or the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza, calling instead for a diplomatic path toward long-term stability and Palestinian governance.
Despite growing international pressure and diplomatic warnings, Smotrich’s statements reflect a significant faction within Israeli politics pushing to fundamentally redefine the geopolitics of the region.
This video offers further context on Bezalel Smotrich’s controversial statements calling for the permanent re-establishment of Israeli military control over Gaza Jerusalem Post report on Smotrich’s rhetoric.