JERUSALEM — Israel's Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, stated in a June 28, 2026, podcast interview that he prevented an early end to the war in Gaza prior to the Rafah offensive. Smotrich claimed his intervention stopped a hostage deal in October 2025.

During an appearance on Nadav Perry's "All In" podcast, Smotrich said, "I think that without me, the war in Gaza would have ended even before Rafah." He asserted that he drew a "red line" with Prime Minister Netanyahu concerning negotiations. "Had I not drawn a red line at that moment and told Netanyahu, 'there is no such thing,' we would still be negotiating with Hamas over one more hostage and then another," Smotrich added.

Smotrich opposed the October 2025 agreement that government officials approved to return remaining hostages from Gaza. He had previously stated in February 2024 that prioritizing hostage negotiations was not the most important consideration in the war. He stated that any deal emerging after January 2025 negotiations would have resulted in the return of only eight hostages.

His stance prioritized the destruction of Hamas. "Hamas must be destroyed," Smotrich said. He noted the importance of hostage returns but cautioned against certain approaches. "It is very important, but you also understand that statements such as 'at any cost' are a problem," he stated. Other ministers, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, Orit Strock, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, and Amichai Eliyahu, also opposed the October 2025 hostage return deal.

Why It Matters

Bezalel Smotrich's claims show disagreements within the Israeli government regarding war strategy and hostage negotiations. His assertion that he personally influenced the continuation of the conflict reflects differing priorities among officials regarding the means to achieve the war's objectives.