Smotrich calls on Netanyahu to conquer Gaza under military rule, re-establish settlements

"There is no one in the world who will do the work for us. There is no country in the world that will send its soldiers to shed their blood and forcibly disarm Hamas," he told the students.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order the IDF's complete takeover of the Gaza Strip and permit settlements in the area, speaking to students at the Sderot Yeshiva on Sunday.

Smotrich spoke in the presence of Yeshiva head Rabbi David Fendel and Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi, after a full day and night of targeted killings of Hamas terrorists in the Strip and developments in US President Donald Trump's 15-point plan for Hamas' disarmament.

"The State of Israel must agree to take responsibility for Gaza. To conquer it completely, establish a military government there, establish Jewish settlement there," he said, speaking on the occasion of the first day of the new semester at the yeshiva.

Smotrich insisted that Israel's security won't be guaranteed without settlements.

"Because," he said, "over time it has been proven that where there is settlement, there is an army and there is security, and where there is no settlement, over time there is no army and there is no security."

Smotrich backed voluntary emigration, decried Trump's new plan

The minister also called for voluntary emigration from Gaza, a proposal popular among the Israeli right-wing, to be encouraged by the government. 

Smotrich criticized Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza, which calls for an international force to take security control over Gaza.

"There is no one in the world who will do the work for us. There is no country in the world that will send its soldiers to shed their blood and forcibly disarm Hamas," he told the students.

"I have been telling the prime minister since the first day of the war: It is either us or them," he added.

"Either the State of Israel will courageously rule Gaza and tell the entire world, 'We will not allow two million, or 1.8 million, Nazis to live on our border and plot against our communities and our children,' or terror will rule Gaza."

Turning to the students, Smotrich reiterated his position of "conquest, military government, settlement."

Located about one kilometer from Gaza, Hamas' brutal October 7 attacks hit Sderot hard. Dozens of civilians, and a number of police officers and soldiers were killed during the terror group's onslaught. 

Efforts to rebuild the city have been underway and most residents have returned after initially evacuating to other regions.