As the Sabbath ended, politicians began reacting on social media to the dramatic developments around the Trump plan to end the war in Gaza.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who was summoned along with Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tweeted: "The prime minister's decision to stop the assault in Gaza and, for the first time, conduct negotiations not under fire is a serious mistake and a sure recipe for Hamas to buy time and for the progressive erosion of Israel's position, both regarding the release of the hostages in a single tranche within 72 hours and regarding the war's central goal of destroying Hamas and fully demilitarizing Gaza."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said: "If after the release of all the hostages Hamas continues to exist, we will not be part of the government. Alongside the important goal of freeing the hostages, the central objective of the war, which stems from the October 7 massacre carried out by the monsters of Hamas, is that the terrorist organization Hamas cannot be allowed to remain. It must be destroyed.
"Therefore, in light of the recent developments, I and the Otzma Yehudit party have made clear to the prime minister: if after the release of all the hostages of Hamas remains, Otzma Yehudit will no longer be part of the government. We will not be part of a national defeat that would be a nightmare and would become a ticking timebomb for the next massacre.
"There is no doubt that, like everyone else, we will be glad to see all the hostages return to us. At the same time, we will under no circumstances agree to a scenario in which the terrorist organization that brought the greatest calamity on the State of Israel is allowed to revive. We will not be partners in that in any way."
