Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Ben Gvir and Smotrich : "If murderers are released, we will leave the government"

                                                          

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said in closed conversations that they would resign from the government if terrorist murderers were released from Israeli prisons, Channel 13 News reported on Monday.

Their comments came as the Israeli delegation, led by Mossad chief David Barnea, departed for Qatar for negotiations on a hostage release deal.

On Sunday night, the Political-Security Cabinet approved the departure of the Israeli delegation to Doha.

The Cabinet gave the Israeli delegation a general mandate and authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to discuss tactical details.

On Saturday, the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper reported that the first stage of the currently proposed deal would include a 42-day ceasefire, which in the second stage would become permanent.

Hamas is demanding that in the first stage, displaced Gazans would be allowed to return to the northern Gaza Strip and to allow for aid to reach the north and for there to be freedom of movement.

The newspaper also reported that Hamas is demanding the release of 50 terrorists, 30 of whom are serving life sentences, for every living Israeli female soldier, woman, child, elderly, and sick person in captivity.

At the beginning of the second stage, Hamas demanded the declaration of a permanent ceasefire before any prisoner swap that would include the male soldiers in captivity. In the third stage, the terror organization demands the reconstruction of the entire Gaza Strip.

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